


The Lost Prophecy: Book 1: Ravenpaw's Secret

by TheQu1etOne



Series: The Lost Prophecy Series [1]
Category: Warriors - Erin Hunter
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-31
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-09-24 06:33:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 61,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9708314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheQu1etOne/pseuds/TheQu1etOne
Summary: In a forest where Rusty never joined ThunderClan after deciding to remain a kittypet, the 'fire alone can save our Clan' prophecy has been lost. But even without the fire, there is still one cat that may hold the fate of the Clans in his paws... Ravenpaw. Covers the timeline of Into the Wild. Sequel is out!





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Русский available: [Утраченное пророчество: Книга 1: Тайна Горелого](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15904383) by [lukas_solar](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lukas_solar/pseuds/lukas_solar)



A tall stone loomed over a clearing nestled deep in the woods. In the boulder's shadow, a dark gray cat sat with her eyes narrowed, staring out at the forest. A small tortoiseshell she-cat sat quietly beside her. Above them stars glittered in the clear, cloudless night sky.

The two cats were murmuring softly to each other, careful to keep their voices low to avoid waking their Clanmates. The older gray she-cat was speaking now. "I'm sending a patrol to check Sunningrocks at dawn. With how RiverClan has been lately . . ." The she-cat paused, deep in thought. "We need warriors Spottedleaf," the gray cat meowed quietly. She watched the tortoiseshell, who was still sitting silently. "Do you think I'm making the right decision, allowing a kittypet to join ThunderClan?"

The tortoiseshell gazed at the older gray cat, not meeting her eyes. "I cannot say, Bluestar," Spottedleaf replied honestly. "I do not know."

Bluestar glanced sharply at Spottedleaf. "What do you mean? Was he not the fire?" 

Spottedleaf stood still for a moment, seeming uncertain of what to say. "I do not wish to lie to you, Bluestar, but there is no way to be sure. I truly believe that he was meant to be the fire."

The gray cat sighed. "I think I'll send Whitestorm with Lionheart to meet the kittypet tomorrow," Bluestar meowed, returning to a business like tone.

But the tortoiseshell she-cat continued to look straight ahead. "He will not come," Spottedleaf mewed, her voice filled with sadness.

"What?" Bluestar looked up abruptly.

"He will not come," the tortoiseshell medicine cat repeated.

Regarding her carefully, Bluestar took a step closer to Spottedleaf. "How do you know this? Have you received a sign from StarClan?"

Spottedleaf's amber eyes were serious. "I wouldn't call it a sign exactly. I can feel it somehow, that the sparks of the fire did not ignite . . . The fire will not save us.

"Then what will become of us?" Bluestar's voice was a hoarse whisper. "Fire alone can save our Clan. Without the fire . . ." Bluestar flicked her tail anxiously. "Is ThunderClan doomed?"

Spottedleaf immediately shook her head. "No. We can still survive."

"But how?"

Spottedleaf was quiet for a moment. "Perhaps a new fire will rise," she mewed softly.

Bluestar paused, a look of concentration clouding her blue eyes. "We don't know for sure that he won't join us," she reasoned, sounding as though she was trying to convince herself as much as Spottedleaf. "The kittypet could very well still decide to meet Lionheart and Whitestorm in the woods."

"Of course you can still send a patrol to meet this cat," Spottedleaf meowed. After a moment she added: "But he will not come."

Her last statement was filled with certainty.

Bluestar nodded in acknowledgement. "Thank you, Spottedleaf." The tortoiseshell medicine cat dipped her head respectfully to her leader, and then padded away, her light pawsteps making no sound as she crossed the clearing.

Bluestar turned her head toward the horizon. The dim glow of dawn was appearing; she would need to send the patrol to Sunningrocks soon. Although outwardly calm, on the inside her head was spinning. How could the prophecy she had heard about for so long, first as an apprentice and then many moons later, suddenly no longer exist? Could ThunderClan survive without the fire?

* * *

**Allegiances**

**ThunderClan**

**Leader-** Bluestar- blue-gray she-cat

 **Deputy-** Redtail- small tortoiseshell tom with a distinctive ginger tail; Apprentice- Dustpaw

 **Medicine Cat-** Spottedleaf- tortoiseshell she-cat

**Warriors-**

Lionheart- golden tabby tom; Apprentice- Graypaw

Tigerclaw- big dark brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Ravenpaw

Whitestorm- big white tom; Apprentice- Sandpaw

Willowpelt- very pale gray she-cat with unusual blue eyes

Mousefur- small dusky brown she-cat

Runningwind- swift tabby tom

Darkstripe- sleek black and gray tabby tom

Longtail- pale tabby tom with dark black stripes

**Apprentices**

Dustpaw- dark brown tabby tom

Ravenpaw- small, skinny black tom with a tiny white dash on his chest, and white tipped tail

Sandpaw- pale ginger she-cat

Graypaw- long-haired gray tom

**Queens**

Speckletail- pale tabby she-cat

Goldenflower- pale ginger she-cat

Frostfur- white she-cat with blue eyes

Brindleface- pale gray tabby she-cat

**Elders**

Smallear- gray tom with very small ears

Halftail- big dark brown tabby tom with part of his tail missing

One-Eye- pale gray she-cat

Dappletail- tortoiseshell she-cat

Patchpelt- small black and white tom

Rosetail- ginger she-cat

**ShadowClan**

**Leader** \- Brokenstar- long-haired dark brown tabby tom

 **Deputy** \- Blackfoot- large white tom with black paws

 **Medicine Cat** \- Runningnose- small gray and white tom

**Warriors**

Nightpelt- old black tom

Stumpytail- brown tabby tom; Apprentice- Brownpaw

Boulder- silver tabby tom; Apprentice- Wetpaw

Clawface- battle scarred brown tom; Apprentice- Littlepaw

**Queens**

Dawncloud- small tabby she-cat

Brightflower- black and white she-cat

**Elders**

Ashfur- thin gray tom

**WindClan**

Leader- Tallstar- black and white tom with a very long tail

**RiverClan**

**Leader** \- Crookedstar- huge light colored tabby with a twisted jaw

 **Deputy** \- Oakheart- reddish brown tom

 **Medicine Cat** \- Mudfur- long haired light brown tom

**Warriors**

Blackclaw- smoky black tom; Apprentice- Heavypaw

Stonefur- gray tom with battle scarred ears; Apprentice- Shadepaw

Mistyfoot- blue gray she-cat

Loudbelly- dark brown tom

Whiteclaw- dark tabby tom with white paws

**Elders**

Graypool- thin gray she-cat with patchy fur and a scarred muzzle

**Cats Outside Clans**

Yellowfang- old dark gray she-cat with a broad, flattened face

Barley- black and white tom


	2. Chapter 1

The skinny apprentice's black fur allowed him to hide in the half-light of the dawn shadows. He crept warily through the forest behind a small tortoiseshell tom and a large dark brown tabby.

"Have you scented them yet, Redtail?" mewed the dark brown tabby tom in a low voice.

"No, Tigerclaw, there's no sign of them here. But we will find them." The tortoiseshell tom turned to the young, skinny black cat. "Ravenpaw, which way now?"

But the apprentice was too nervous to hear the question. "Redtail, what will we do if we find RiverClan cats at Sunningrocks?" Ravenpaw mewed anxiously. "Will we fight them?"

"Of course we'll fight them! This is our territory!" Tigerclaw snarled before Redtail could answer. "What are we, mice?! We're under orders to stop them." A long moment passed while the three cats walked in silence.

"We have allowed this to go on for too long," Redtail sighed.

Tigerclaw glanced at Redtail and nodded in agreement. A dark look clouded his amber eyes. "It ends today," he meowed simply.

Ravenpaw was not at all looking forward to a possible battle. He hoped that they would get to Sunningrocks and find it empty. Then they could go back to the ThunderClan camp and Bluestar could send another patrol later. Ravenpaw's hopes were crushed when Tigerclaw suddenly froze, sniffing the air. "RiverClan," he growled. Redtail and Tigerclaw quickened their pace to the edge of the forest.

Ravenpaw lingered at the forest's edge when Tigerclaw and Redtail stepped out. The unfamiliar cat scent was overwhelming. Tigerclaw looked back and snarled, "Ravenpaw, get out here!"

Ravenpaw left the safety of the trees and ducked behind his mentor. The three padded forward and faced a larger group of cats that were emerging from the shadows of the Sunningrocks. The cats stood next to where the stream met the river. ThunderClan and RiverClan scents here were mixed together and unclear.

"You," Tigerclaw growled from Redtail's side, his tail bristling in anger. He was staring at the bracken colored tom leading the RiverClan patrol.

"Oakheart, why am I not surprised to see you?" Redtail meowed. Ravenpaw had heard the name before. Oakheart was the deputy of RiverClan.

The bracken colored tom padded forward. "Oh, hello there. We were just getting in a bit of hunting this morning before your Clan scared all the prey away . . ."

"Keep your hunting parties in your own territory," Redtail warned. "You have been trespassing for far too many moons."

"How can we be trespassing if we are in our own territory? Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan." Oakheart audaciously tipped his head to the side.

"Leave now." Redtail's voice was calm, but his red and black tail was lashing.

"Or what?"

Redtail drew himself up to his full height and looked Oakheart straight in the face. "We are not here to play games! Sunningrocks is in ThunderClan territory, and the next RiverClan warrior caught not respecting our borders will be killed!"

Oakheart's eyes lost their amused gleam. "Your threats make no difference to me. My Clan must be fed and if we must fight for it then so be it." He raised his head and let out a battle cry. "RiverClan, attack!"

The clearing erupted in fighting. Ravenpaw was unprepared for the ferocity of the hostile cats. The RiverClan warriors seemed to have no qualms about attacking a half-trained apprentice, and Ravenpaw found himself dodging attacks from all sides. Tigerclaw slashed at the surrounding enemies with his large claws while Redtail weaved between the RiverClan warriors, clawing and nipping at them before they could respond. A cat suddenly leaped onto Ravenpaw's back, knocking him to the ground. The cat rolled him over, trying to dig his claws into his body, and Ravenpaw writhed wildly to escape, forgetting all of the battle moves he had learned in the last few moons. When he broke free, he stood back from the fight to regain his bearings, panting.

Tigerclaw was locked an intense battle with Oakheart. "You ThunderClan cats never learn," Oakheart hissed. "Sunningrocks belongs to RiverClan!"

"Never, Oakheart!" Tigerclaw yowled. "Sunningrocks will always belong to ThunderClan!" Both cats reared up on their hind paws, and wrestled ferociously, trying to unbalance each other. Tigerclaw twisted to the side and delivered a powerful blow to Oakheart's ribs. Oakheart fell back to his paws, gasping. Ravenpaw could see that the wound wasn't severe, but he knew from his training with Tigerclaw that Oakheart would be feeling that injury for days.

The pace of the battle moved the fighting cats closer to Sunningrocks. Ravenpaw clawed at a nearby RiverClan cat and nearly slipped on the sloped surface of the boulders. The huge tom sprang at him and Ravenpaw slashed with all his strength. To Ravenpaw's surprise, the tom let out a terrible screech, and he realized that his claws had opened an old wound on the tom's side. Dripping in blood, the tom raced away into the bushes.

Emboldened by his easy victory, Ravenpaw quickly leaped back into the fray and found himself fighting with a pale tabby tom. Dodging around the other screeching cats, he darted forward and delivered a sharp blow to the tom's muzzle. The tom hissed in outrage and clawed back.

Ravenpaw shrieked as sharp claws raked his shoulder. He stumbled backward. The wound stung, and he was aware of the drip of his own blood onto the ground. But he had to fight. ThunderClan was too outnumbered. Tigerclaw was fending off two enemy warriors at once. The pale tabby raised his paw to slash at him again.

"Ravenpaw!" Redtail bounded up the side of the Sunningrocks and leaped into the mass of cats. He landed on the pale tabby tom and caused the rest of the cats to scatter outward. He then positioned himself in front of Ravenpaw, shielding him from the fighting cats. "Ravenpaw, hide here," the ThunderClan deputy meowed. He gestured with his tail toward a crevice in the rocky surface. The sound of screeching cats echoed around them. "Wait until it's safe to make a run for it."

"But Redtail-"

"No Ravenpaw, don't argue, you're in no state to fight with that wound!"

Ravenpaw nodded stiffly, and with one last glance at Redtail, obediently slid into the crevice. Hidden, he watched and listened as the battle continued.

Redtail, Tigerclaw, and numerous unrecognizable warriors passed in and out of his narrow view through the opening of the rock. Ravenpaw wondered what was going on. He heard Tigerclaw snarling and unfamiliar yowls, then the sound of paws thrumming against the ground. Ravenpaw figured that Tigerclaw had chased off a small group of enemy warriors. He would be able to make a break for it soon.

Redtail was grappling with a gray RiverClan warrior. The tortoiseshell deputy managed to overcome the RiverClan warrior and threw him to the ground. As he raised his paw to strike the gray tom, Oakheart suddenly raced toward the two cats from out of view. He pulled Redtail off the RiverClan warrior by his scruff and dropped him to the ground. The gray tom pelted away as Redtail spun around to face Oakheart.

"Are RiverClan warriors unable to fight their own battles?" Redtail spat. Ravenpaw felt a sudden jolt of fear for Redtail. Oakheart was twice his size and known throughout the Clans for his fighting skills.

"No ThunderClan cat will ever harm that warrior," Oakheart meowed. The words had barely left his mouth when Redtail pounced.

The two cats were thrown out of Ravenpaw's line of sight. Their snarls echoed across the surface of the rocks, and Ravenpaw flattened his ears against the noise.

A sudden, low rumbling from deep within the rocks spurred him to bolt from the safety of the crevice. He saw Oakheart standing over Redtail out of the corner of his eye, and then there was a loud crashing sound.

Ravenpaw raced away from the cloud of dust and immediately understood what had happened. The rocky overhang had collapsed on top of the battling cats! He heard a terrible screech, and recognizing it as Oakheart's voice, looked over at the fallen rocks. He was completely covered in the rubble except for his tail!

"Oakheart is dead!" Redtail howled, blood dripping from his muzzle. The ThunderClan deputy streaked past Ravenpaw and back into the crowd of enemy warriors.

Ravenpaw, ears still ringing from the crash of the rockfall, stood back as Redtail and Tigerclaw fought the dwindling group of RiverClan cats. A tabby and white warrior had latched himself onto Tigerclaw's back. Redtail grabbed the cat by his tail, and with strength Ravenpaw wouldn't have guessed the small tortoiseshell had, flung him into the bushes. More cats appeared, blocking his view of Redtail. Ravenpaw's heart was pounding when Tigerclaw appeared behind him.

"Ravenpaw! Return to camp now! Go!" Tigerclaw's harsh voice rang in his ear.

"But-"

"Go!" Tigerclaw snarled. Reluctantly, Ravenpaw spun in the direction of the camp. He sprinted through the forest, momentarily forgetting about his injured shoulder.

Suddenly he realized that he didn't know if Redtail was alright. He had lost sight of him in the throng of battling warriors. Ravenpaw turned around and raced back toward Sunningrocks. He slipped quickly through the undergrowth, avoiding the last of the fleeing RiverClan cats.

Soon he spotted Redtail running away from Sunningrocks, while the last RiverClan warrior raced away in the opposite direction. _Thank StarClan,_ he thought. The ThunderClan deputy's fur was standing on end and his tail was straight up, but he appeared unhurt. Ravenpaw was about to bound forward to meet him when he noticed Tigerclaw crouched in the shadows at the edge of the forest.

Time seemed to slow as Redtail ran toward Tigerclaw. The deputy didn't seem to be aware of the dark tabby warrior as he neared the treeline. When Redtail was within a fox-length of the trees, the larger warrior leaped at him and tackled him to the ground. Utterly confused, Ravenpaw watched Redtail struggle violently to escape, but Tigerclaw had him pinned down. Ravenpaw's confusion turned to horror when Tigerclaw sank his teeth into Redtail's throat. The tortoiseshell warrior abruptly stopped struggling and fell limply to his side.

Ravenpaw stared numbly. He felt as if he was in a dream and had just witnessed something absurdly impossible happen. He blinked, expecting to wake up at any moment.

Tigerclaw slowly looked up in Ravenpaw's direction, and there was a gleam in his eyes that sent chills down Ravenpaw's spine. Not knowing if Tigerclaw had noticed him or not, Ravenpaw started running.

_No,_ he thought. _No, it can't be. It can't have happened._ Thoughts were swirling in his mind that didn't make sense. He had just seen Tigerclaw kill Redtail. But it couldn't be. Redtail was a ThunderClan warrior. Why would Tigerclaw kill a fellow ThunderClan warrior? But he had. Ravenpaw had seen him do it. His breathing grew ragged as he continued through the forest.

Blood was steadily dripping from his foreleg. Ravenpaw barely noticed how close he was to his home before he burst through the gorse bushes surrounding the camp. His arrival broke the usual sunhigh calm within the camp, and his Clanmates jumped from their resting places in alarm as he stumbled forward to the center of the clearing. His Clan leader looked up from her conversation with several of the Clan's senior warriors.

"What has happened?" Bluestar asked urgently, her eyes wide with alarm. The dark gray she-cat bounded up onto the Highrock, beckoning with her tail for him to join her. "Speak, Ravenpaw!"

Panting, Ravenpaw heaved himself onto the Highrock to stand next to Bluestar, facing the Clan. His heart pounded as images of the battle flashed in front of his eyes. He had to tell them. "Redtail is dead!" Yowls rose from the gathered ThunderClan cats. He leaned awkwardly to keep his weight off his right foreleg. His voice trembled as he went on. "We m-met five RiverClan warriors beside the stream, not far from the Sunningrocks. Oakheart was among them." More murmurs rose from the crowd.

"Redtail warned Oakheart to keep his hunting parties out of ThunderClan territory. He said the next RiverClan warrior to be caught in ThunderClan territory would be killed, but Oak… Oakheart would not back down. He said his Cl-Clan had to be fed, whatever we threatened." Ravenpaw gasped for breath, realizing for the first time the severity of his shoulder wound. This couldn't be happening. He felt as if he was watching the scene from outside his body. His vision blurred as images swam together in his head: the RiverClan cats, the rockfall, Tigerclaw pouncing at Redtail. It made no sense to him. "That's when the RiverClan cats attacked. It was hard to see what was happening. The fighting was vicious. I saw Oakheart had Redtail pinned to the ground, but then Redtail…"

He was overwhelmed with memories: Oakheart trapped beneath the fallen boulders, Tigerclaw's teeth buried in Redtail's neck. Ravenpaw's eyes rolled back in his head. He was vaguely aware that he was falling to the ground below, and everything went black.


	3. Chapter 2

"So, Spottedleaf. How is he? Do you think you can save him? I've spent a lot of time training him up, and I don't want my efforts to be wasted at the first battle." Ravenpaw's ears twitched. The low, deep voice was familiar. He thought should be afraid of this cat but he couldn't remember why.

"Yes, a pity if, after all your valuable training, he dies in his first fight, eh?" That was Spottedleaf, ThunderClan's medicine cat, Ravenpaw realized.

"Will he live?" _Tigerclaw,_ Ravenpaw remembered. He was struggling to understand what was going on. Why was this cat sending shivers of fear up his spine?

"Of course. He just needs to rest," Spottedleaf mewed. Ravenpaw shuddered when it abruptly came back to him. There had been a fight with RiverClan, and Tigerclaw had ambushed Redtail in the aftermath! Could this be a dream? No, he reasoned. The burning pain in his shoulder was very real.

Tigerclaw had snorted in response to Spottedleaf's reply and Ravenpaw felt a paw jab his ribs. "Come on, then! Get up!" He was suddenly being shaken roughly.

"Not so fast, Tigerclaw!" The shaking stopped. "This apprentice needs to keep as still as possible until the cut has healed. We don't want him opening his wound by jumping about trying to please you. Leave him alone." There was a short silence before Spottedleaf meowed again. "Even _you_ know better than to argue with a medicine cat, Tigerclaw."

"I wouldn't dare argue with _you,_ dear Spottedleaf," Tigerclaw purred.

Ravenpaw heard Spottedleaf return to her herbs. She was probably making some type of poultice, but he couldn't tell with his eyes closed.

After he thought he had waited a sufficient amount of time he whispered, "Is he gone?"

Spottedleaf purred. "Yes, he's gone. Don't worry; I won't let any cat start your training again before you're ready." Ravenpaw let out a sigh of relief.

A long time passed, and before Ravenpaw realized it, the noise of his Clanmates' mewing around him began to grow fainter. He was slipping out of consciousness when he felt something warm press against his shoulder.

His eyes slid open. Spottedleaf was applying a poultice to his injury. "I'm going to have you stay in the medicine den until you're ready to resume your training. Come on now, I'll help you." Ravenpaw groaned, wanting nothing more than to continue to lie in place and sleep.

She stood in front of him, her body blocking the view of the rest of his Clanmates. Ravenpaw slowly rose to his paws and leaned against Spottedleaf as they made their way to the medicine den, only vaguely aware of the presence of other cats.

He collapsed to his side just inside the entrance of the medicine den, and shut his eyes tight, trying to ignore the ache in his shoulder. Soon the sound of Spottedleaf organizing her herbs faded into the background. He tried to fall asleep, but the short walk across the camp had somehow awakened him from his stupor, and his mind was racing.

It couldn't be true. It had to be a bad dream, it had to be. Ravenpaw dared to open his eyes a peek. He lifted his head and turned it to see a crowd of cats gathered in the middle of the clearing. As one of the cats padded away, Ravenpaw caught a glimpse of the warrior lying dead on the ground at the center of the crowd. _Redtail._

Spottedleaf noticed that he was awake. "Are you alright?"

His voice seemed to catch in his throat. He continued to stare at the dead body of ThunderClan's deputy.

"You need to rest now, Ravenpaw," Spottedleaf mewed kindly. She gently flicked his back with her tail.

"It can't be," he whispered. "It-It just can't-" he broke off, gasping.

Spottedleaf stood up and returned with a poppy head. "Here. Take these poppy seeds; it will help you sleep." She shook the poppy head with her paw and slid a few of the tiny seeds toward him.

Ravenpaw bent his head to lick up the poppy seeds. His eyelids began to droop, and before he could give it a second thought, he curled up and sank into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." Bluestar's voice echoed through the clearing. The sound roused Ravenpaw from his dozing. It was evening now, and he blinked to adjust his eyes to the half-light. From the entrance of the medicine den, Ravenpaw could see his Clanmates gathering around the Highrock. Redtail's body was still resting at the center of the camp. Ravenpaw wondered if he should sit vigil for him but was distracted from the thought when Bluestar began to speak.

"A new deputy must be appointed. But first, let us give thanks to StarClan for the life of Redtail. Tonight he sits with his fellow warriors among the stars." A solemn silence fell over the camp as the cats looked up at the sky, their faces illuminated in the dim glow of the falling sun.

"And now, I shall name ThunderClan's new deputy," Bluestar meowed after enough time had passed. "I say these words before the body of Redtail, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice." There was another moment of silence. Ravenpaw held his breath. _Please not Tigerclaw._

"Lionheart will be the new deputy of ThunderClan." Yowls of support rose from the surrounding ThunderClan cats. Ravenpaw exhaled as Bluestar continued. "Redtail was also mentor to young Dustpaw." Ravenpaw quickly glanced at the brown tabby apprentice, who was sitting with hunched shoulders, and then back at Bluestar. "Since there must be no delay in the training of our apprentices, I shall appoint Dustpaw's new mentor immediately. Darkstripe, you will continue Dustpaw's training. You had a fine mentor in Tigerclaw, and you already did an excellent job in mentoring Longtail. I expect you to pass on the skills you were taught as you continue his training."

Dustpaw solemnly padded up to his new mentor, tail drooping. Ravenpaw looked away as they touched noses, not able to bear the look of grief in his brother's eyes.

* * *

The next morning, Ravenpaw awoke to the sound of mournful yowls. He was confused for a moment, but then he remembered. Of course. It was time for Redtail's burial. The elders were gathered by the Highrock. As though a silent command had been given, they moved in unison to lift Redtail. Ravenpaw closed his eyes as the brave former deputy was carried out of the camp.

In spite of the terrible events of the previous day, the camp quickly fell back into routine. The ThunderClan cats still gathered at the center of the camp to be assigned their tasks for the day. But it was Lionheart organizing the patrols now. Ravenpaw felt an icy needle of grief pierce his heart. He heard his Clanmates mews from where they were receiving their orders, too far away for him to discern their words, and suddenly felt as though the events of the previous day had detached him from his Clan; as if he were on the outside looking in through a screen of brambles.

The sound of pawsteps behind him jolted Ravenpaw out of his thoughts. He leaped to his paws, instantly alert, and winced at the thorn-sharp claw of pain in his shoulder. "Ravenpaw, it's just me." Spottedleaf had padded up to stand next to him. Her amber eyes glowed with sympathy. Ravenpaw sat back down, ducking his head sheepishly over his panicked reaction. "How are you feeling this morning?" asked Spottedleaf. She tilted her head to one side, waiting for his answer.

Instead of telling the truth, he tried to appear as though he was alright. "My shoulder doesn't hurt as much, I guess," he replied. Spottedleaf narrowed her eyes, but didn't press him further. They sat there in silence for a moment, watching their Clanmates move about within the camp.

"I'll be right back," meowed Spottedleaf, rising to her paws.

She had just disappeared into her den when a pale ginger head poked out of the nursery. When Goldenflower caught sight of Ravenpaw, her eyes brightened and she trotted over to him. "Hello Ravenpaw," she mewed, the kindness in her pale green gaze taking him by surprise. "I'm glad to see you're awake. I was worried about you yesterday."

"I- er . . . thanks," Ravenpaw stuttered.

"How are you doing?" asked Goldenflower.

"Fine," he mewed shrilly, looking away. The last thing he wanted was to be questioned about the battle.

Thankfully, Spottedleaf had returned with a bundle of herbs in her jaws. She dropped them to the ground. "I'm going to get a start on your treatment right away. Here." She dabbed her paw into a pile of herbs and pushed one toward him. "Eat this. It will help prevent infection." Ravenpaw obediently bowed his head to gulp down the bitter tasting herb. Spottedleaf took the moment to examine his wound more closely. "It's looking better already. Are you able to move it?"

Ravenpaw gingerly got up and padded a few paces out of the medicine den, and then back in. "It isn't too bad," he replied, wincing as he sat down.

"You'll be back to training in no time," Spottedleaf meowed, Goldenflower murmuring encouragement beside her. "It's healing up quite well." Ravenpaw didn't have the energy to even try to appear excited. He had no desire to return to training.

After sharing a serious look with the pale ginger queen, Spottedleaf studied him seriously. "Ravenpaw," she began gently, "you know this wasn't your fault, right?"

 _That's not the problem at all!_ "I- but Redtail-" Ravenpaw stammered, unable to string together a coherent statement.

Spottedleaf shook her head and met Ravenpaw's eyes with her own, and for the first time he noticed grief pooling within them. "No. It wasn't. He wouldn't want you to blame yourself for this." The tortoiseshell medicine cat rested her tail on his uninjured shoulder. "Know that even though Redtail is gone, he died a warrior's death. He always said if he had to lose his life, that's how he wanted to go- for his Clan." Shuddering, Ravenpaw recalled Redtail's frantic struggle. He certainly hadn't wanted to die like that.

"And he was avenged," Goldenflower added encouragingly. "The RiverClan deputy was killed soon after he killed Redtail. Tigerclaw saw to that." Ravenpaw blinked in confusion. _So that's what he told them._

Spottedleaf and Goldenflower shared a meaningful glance.

Finally Goldenflower stood up. "I'll get you some fresh-kill."

"Yes, I'll come as well." Spottedleaf turned to Ravenpaw. "I'll be back soon."

Then they padded side by side in the direction of the fresh-kill pile, seeming to have come to a silent agreement to leave Ravenpaw by himself. He could hear Goldenflower as she mewed softly to the tortoiseshell medicine cat. "He'll be okay."

Soon the two she-cats had returned. They clearly sensed that Ravenpaw didn't want to talk, and left him alone after giving him a mouse to eat. Once he finished his meal, he continued to observe the camp. He wished that he could sleep, but his mind was too full of dark thoughts.

Lying in the entrance of the medicine den, Ravenpaw sighed. Could Tigerclaw really have murdered his own Clanmate? He alternated between wanting to tell someone and wanting to pretend it never happened. As he turned the events over in his mind, the only thing he knew for sure was that it made absolutely no sense. Could he have just imagined it?

It was certainly possible. He imagined a lot of things as a kit, when greencough had spread to the nursery. He had thought of all kinds of stories to distract him from all the death and sickness around him; sometimes he had thought that maybe if he concentrated hard enough, his daydreams could become real. Perhaps this was just how he coped with traumatic events-

 _No!_ he wailed inwardly. _I wasn't imagining this!_

But how could he be sure? For the remainder of the morning he wavered from absolute doubt to complete and utter certainty at Tigerclaw's guilt. He brooded as the sun rose higher and higher in the sky, trying to work out why in the name of StarClan Tigerclaw would even _want_ to murder a trusted Clanmate. As much as Ravenpaw disliked him, Tigerclaw was one of the Clan's most respected warriors, and he could not figure out what the dark brown tabby would gain from Redtail's death.

When the sun had nearly reached the tops of the trees, Bluestar emerged from her den. She gave a long stretch, and padded a few pawsteps away to sit in the shadow of the Highrock. As cats passed her way, she nodded to them in greeting, her eyes warm.

 _Should I tell her?_ Ravenpaw's heart pounded.

Bluestar was now in what appeared to be a lighthearted conversation with Frostfur. The white she cat's tail was twitching, and Ravenpaw could hear their friendly voices from across the camp. After a short time, Frostfur dipped her head respectfully and trotted to the nursery, leaving Bluestar alone outside her den.

 _I have to do this._ Ravenpaw heaved himself to his paws. He had taken one pawstep toward her when she was met by Whitestorm. He stopped in his tracks.

Bluestar would never believe that Tigerclaw, one of the most respected warriors in ThunderClan, would murder a Clanmate. And he doubted she would believe him, Ravenpaw, the cowardly story-telling apprentice, especially when he couldn't believe it himself.

Ravenpaw settled himself back onto his haunches, wishing he could just forget.


	4. Chapter 3

* * *

At the end of the day after Redtail's death, Spottedleaf declared that Ravenpaw's shoulder had healed enough to resume training, and he was cleared to sleep in the apprentices den again. Graypaw told him that night that he and Ravenpaw were training with their mentors at the sandy hollow the next day. Ravenpaw woke up early the next morning, sneaking out of the apprentices den before Graypaw, Dustpaw, and Sandpaw awoke, and settled himself at the center of the camp.

Mousefur and Runningwind were already in the clearing. Longtail padded out of the warriors den, and with a nod to the two brown warriors, the three of them set off for the dawn patrol through the gorse tunnel. Ravenpaw was lost in thought as more warriors began to trickle out of the warriors' den, meowing quietly to each other as they waited to be assigned a patrol.

He lightly groomed the wound on his shoulder, worriedly turning over the events of the battle in his mind. His thoughts were clearer now than they had been after the initial shock. Redtail had been running away from the rockfall, when Tigerclaw had ambushed him from the bushes, Ravenpaw was certain. _Does he know I saw?_ Ravenpaw thought. _Did he realize I witnessed him kill Redtail? But what if that's not what happened, but what else could it be?_ He was filled with self-doubt again. _Perhaps that was Oakheart and I wasn't remembering correctly._ But he knew, he had _seen_ Tigerclaw attack and kill a cat, and that cat had certainly not been bracken colored like Oakheart.

By now, the camp was beginning to buzz with the mews of many cats greeting and chatting with each other. With most of the warriors milling about in the clearing, Ravenpaw realized that his mentor would be joining them at any moment. Wanting to avoid Tigerclaw for as long as possible, he made his way to the sandy hollow by himself. Once he arrived, he sat rigid as a rock, and awaited the arrival of Lionheart and Tigerclaw while his fur prickled with anxiety. Not long after he had reached the hollow, Graypaw joined him in waiting, and the gray apprentice was soon cheerfully flicking leaves into the air with his paws and chasing them as they fell.

"Cheer up Ravenpaw," Graypaw called from across the clearing. "I know you don't like training, but you're not usually this miserable!"

"I suppose I'm just worried about hurting my shoulder again," Ravenpaw mewed. Suddenly, a moment after he scented them, Tigerclaw and Lionheart padded out from the surrounding bushes.

"Warriors should suffer their pain silently," the dark brown tabby warrior growled. Ravenpaw felt a jolt of fear as Tigerclaw met his eyes. "You need to learn to hold your tongue." Ravenpaw recoiled and ducked his head.

He barely noticed when Lionheart started speaking, and missed most of what he said. He had immediately jumped into their training, something about stalking rabbits. "Can either of you tell me why?" Lionheart finished. Ravenpaw shifted uncomfortably, continuing to stare at the ground.

"Come on!" Tigerclaw snorted impatiently.

"Because a rabbit will smell you before he sees you," Graypaw answered, "but a mouse will feel your pawsteps through the ground before he even smells you."

"Exactly Graypaw," Lionheart mewed approvingly. "So what must you bear in mind when hunting mice?" There was a longer pause now. Tigerclaw let out an irritated hiss, while Lionheart shifted his weight on his paws. "Ravenpaw you should know this. You've already been training for two moons." Ravenpaw looked up from the ground, meeting Lionheart's gaze. His yellow eyes were both stern and sympathetic. Ravenpaw felt a jab of guilt. While he thought Tigerclaw often had unrealistic expectations, Lionheart was fair, and if he thought Ravenpaw should know how to stalk mice after two moons training, then he should.

Tigerclaw stepped forward, and Ravenpaw shrank from the dark tabby's glare. "Only you would find this to be a difficult question. We've gone over this before!"

"You've never told-"

"I shouldn't need to tell you. This would be obvious if you had paid any attention at all when I taught you hunting techniques!" Tigerclaw's snarl was followed by a long silence.

Finally Graypaw mewed, "Would you want to step lightly on your paws, I suppose? Or maybe not…" He had been nervously eyeing the exchange between Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw.

Lionheart nodded, diplomatically ignoring Tigerclaw glaring at Ravenpaw. "That's right, Graypaw. When you are hunting mice, you must take all your weight onto your haunches, so that your paws make no impact on the forest floor. Now both of you try stalking and Tigerclaw and I will observe."

Ravenpaw and Graypaw dropped into a hunter's crouch and began to creep forward. "Very good, Graypaw," Lionheart meowed.

"Keep your rear down, Ravenpaw, you look like a duck!" came Tigerclaw's harsh mew. Ravenpaw made the correction, and feeling a dull pain in his shoulder, he continued to move forward. A moment later Tigerclaw's mew rang in his ear again. "You're favoring your right side! How many more moons will it take before your crouch is balanced? You won't catch any mice like that!"

By the time Ravenpaw had crossed the clearing, Graypaw had finished his lap across the hollow and was sitting next to Lionheart, patiently waiting for Ravenpaw to join them where they had started. Tigerclaw was still berating his crouch as he made his way back. "You're moving too slowly. Your prey will have died of old age before you have the chance to kill it!"

Lionheart walked up to join Tigerclaw. "To be fair, his injury isn't completely healed," the golden tabby meowed.

"Injuries are a fact of life. A warrior adapts to their injuries and doesn't let them affect their duties to their Clan," Tigerclaw meowed. "He needs to learn that."

"That's true." Lionheart nodded in agreement. Ravenpaw sat up as Lionheart paused, thinking. "Perhaps you two will learn more from stalking for real," he mewed, turning to the apprentices. "I want both of you to try to catch real prey. Ravenpaw, you might find something by the Owltree. Graypaw, you try that bramble patch over there. Tigerclaw and I will be waiting for you here." He nodded encouragingly at the two apprentices. Ravenpaw shared a glance with Graypaw, brightening a little. He'd have a better chance of catching prey than usual without Tigerclaw breathing down his neck. His improved mood soured when he noticed his mentor staring at him with narrowed eyes.

Graypaw slowly started toward the bramble patch, looking back over his shoulder at Ravenpaw and Tigerclaw before leaving the hollow.

As Ravenpaw passed his mentor on the way out he heard him growl, quiet enough for only Ravenpaw to hear. "Let's see if you can catch something for a change."

* * *

When Ravenpaw reached the Owltree, he began to scope out the area for hunting out of habit, in spite of the dark thoughts swirling in the back of his mind. Dropping into a hunter's crouch, he pinpointed the location of a mouse at the base of the tree and began to creep toward it. He was able to get within a fox-length of it before it became aware of his presence and froze. Ravenpaw raced toward it and leaped, landing haphazardly on the ground. He lifted his front paws to look underneath, and found dead leaves where the mouse had been a moment before. _Mouse dung,_ he thought. _Almost had it._

He didn't have any better luck a little later, when he scented another mouse a short distance from the tree. Ravenpaw didn't even had the chance to drop into a crouch before it skittered away. After several more unsuccessful attempts at catching prey, he was getting discouraged. He wasn't _that_ poor of a hunter. Usually he was able to find at least something, even if it wasn't to Tigerclaw's standards.

He sighed as he noticed the sun had reached its peak in the sky and was beginning to fall. Ravenpaw realized that if he wasn't back at the hollow soon, his Clanmates would be wondering where he was. Resigning himself to being reprimanded by Tigerclaw for coming back preyless, he began to follow the short path back to the sandy hollow.

Suddenly, the sound of frantically flapping wings shook him from his thoughts. Not even bothering to attempt to stalk the bird, he careened through the undergrowth toward the source of the sound, and before he even realized what happened, he had killed it with a swift bite. Thanking StarClan for his good luck, he bounded with new energy back to the sandy hollow, where he found Tigerclaw and Lionheart waiting with Graypaw. He set his prey down next to Graypaw's, a vole and two mice, and looked up expectantly at the two older warriors.

"That's it?" Tigerclaw hissed. "You've been training for two more moons than Graypaw and in the same amount of time it took him to catch three pieces of prey you catch that scrap?" Ravenpaw's momentary happiness disappeared.

Lionheart padded forward to examine Ravenpaw's prey, his expression carefully neutral. "How did you catch it?" he asked.

"Well…" Ravenpaw hesitated.

"Injured before you found it, most likely," Tigerclaw sneered. _That's probably true,_ Ravenpaw reflected dully. The bird had been fluttering randomly and had made no attempt to fly before he caught it. Glancing at the dead finch, Ravenpaw noticed for the first time that its wing was twisted at an odd angle. He definitely hadn't done that.

Ravenpaw bowed his head, not daring to look Tigerclaw in the face. "I just heard it flapping about and chased the sound," he admitted. He worried for a moment that he had said the wrong thing, but when he looked up at Lionheart, the golden tabby was nodding in approval.

"Good," Lionheart mewed. Tigerclaw looked like he was about to cut in with a disparaging comment, but Lionheart turned his attention to Graypaw before he could. "Graypaw, how did you catch your mouse and vole?"

"Well, for the vole and the first mouse I stalked it the way we just practiced, with light pawsteps so they wouldn't hear me before it was too late." Graypaw's tail twitched back and forth enthusiastically as he continued with his explanation. "But for the second mouse, it noticed me before I could get close, so I had to start running after it from further away. I knew that it would try to escape into the undergrowth behind it, so instead of running straight at it, I blocked off its escape route by running at it from the other side." He proudly puffed up his fur when he finished.

Lionheart looked at Graypaw and Ravenpaw in turn. "So what can we learn from today?"

"That it's important to know the hunting techniques for different types of prey," Graypaw meowed.

Lionheart glanced from Graypaw to Ravenpaw expectantly. "And?"

"Trust your instincts?" Ravenpaw mewed softly after Graypaw didn't respond. Lionheart nodded, encouraging Ravenpaw to continue. "Maybe using the right hunting method isn't what you should do depending on the situation. Don't be locked into one hunting method for one type of prey."

"Excellent observation, Ravenpaw." Ravenpaw glowed at Lionheart's praise, barely noticing that Tigerclaw was still scowling beside him. Maybe he wasn't such a bad hunter after all. Lionheart turned to look at the position of the sun in the sky. "Looks like it's time to return to camp. Good work, both of you." The golden tabby deputy padded out of the sandy hollow, along with Graypaw following close behind. Tigerclaw walked next to Ravenpaw as they set off on the grassy path to return to camp.

"It's only through luck that that worked," Tigerclaw growled in an undertone. "You can't rely on every bird you want to catch having a broken wing." His eyes narrowed. "And weren't you sent to the Owltree, a place overrun with mice, and you couldn't catch a single one of those?" He snorted contemptuously and quickened his pace, leaving Ravenpaw to walk alone.

* * *

"Great StarClan, you're slow." Tigerclaw swished his tail at Ravenpaw's flank. "Darkstripe, I don't think even you were this bad."

The dark warrior bristled. "What?" he protested. "I was never a bad hunter!"

"Oh, trust me, you were," Tigerclaw purred. "But you, however, improved. Ravenpaw has not."

Twitching his ears, Ravenpaw suppressed a sigh. Even though a few more days had passed between the battle with RiverClan, his shoulder still ached, and he could not for the life of him keep his crouch balanced. It had cost him three mice and vole today, a fact he was sure Tigerclaw wouldn't let him forget.

After traipsing through the forest for a short time, Tigerclaw had decided that Ravenpaw needed to go over the hunter's crouch again. Now in a small clearing, Ravenpaw repositioned himself, attempting to move forward stealthily. A paw bounced off his flank and he fell to his side. "That was pathetic," growled Tigerclaw. "Do it again."

Darkstripe mrrowed in amusement.

Blinking miserably, Ravenpaw got up. _Why is Darkstripe even here?_ Originally Tigerclaw and Darkstripe had taken Ravenpaw, Graypaw and Dustpaw out for hunting practice. Graypaw and Dustpaw had already mastered the hunter's crouch and been sent on their own solo hunting missions. Ravenpaw had thought that would mean Darkstripe would also leave to hunt on his own. Instead he had stayed with Tigerclaw in an effort to 'help' with Ravenpaw's training. Although Ravenpaw was nervous about being left alone with Tigerclaw, he wasn't sure he was much better off with Darkstripe there.

Ravenpaw began to move again, very aware that he was being watched by both Tigerclaw and Darkstripe. Padding forward, Ravenpaw was so deep in concentration that he stumbled over his own paws. "Ha!" barked Darkstripe. "What was that?"

"Again." Tigerclaw waved his tail lazily.

This time Ravenpaw focused entirely on keeping his crouch even. He carefully placed one paw forward, and then another.

"No." A dark brown tabby paw swiped at one of his hind legs, unbalancing him. "You're walking like a duck again, Ravenpaw!"

Shuffling his paws, Ravenpaw tried to ignore the older warriors. Darkstripe's whiskers twitched. "Do you think Bluestar would consent to renaming him Duckpaw?"

"I think Snailpaw might be more fitting," meowed Tigerclaw. "We've been working on the same lesson for three days." Ravenpaw's ears burned. "Did I say you could stop?" Tigerclaw snapped. Hurriedly, Ravenpaw continued to creep forward.

After padding several fox-lengths he thought he had finally gotten it. He was surprised when Tigerclaw growled in frustration, batting him to the ground. "How many times do I have to say it! Keep your crouch balanced!" Ravenpaw tensed. He knew he should have anticipated Tigerclaw's attempts to knock him over by now, but every time it sent a fresh wave of fear up his spine.

Ravenpaw made several more tries, each worse than the last according to Tigerclaw. Finally the dark brown tabby warrior raised his tail. "That's enough. We're going back to camp." But when Ravenpaw tried to turn around Tigerclaw moved in front of him. "Not you. You're staying out until you make up for the prey you missed. Don't even think about coming back until you've caught four pieces of prey."

Ravenpaw's fur fluffed up in shock. _Four pieces of prey! I'll be out the whole night!_ But he didn't dare protest. "Yes, Tigerclaw," he replied meekly.

The two warriors turned without a second glance. As they walked away, Ravenpaw could hear what they were saying. "I'm sure he will pick up at least some of your skills," meowed Darkstripe. "With you to teach him, he has the potential to become a great warrior."

Tigerclaw's fur ruffled when he shook his massive head. "Even I cannot train a cat that makes no effort. He has been an apprentice for two moons now, and he still stalks as if he were a kit."

Their mews faded into the background. Turning to make his way through the forest, Ravenpaw sighed. This was going to be a long night.


	5. Chapter 4

On the morning of the half-moon, Ravenpaw was awoken by the sound of excited meows echoing through the camp. To his surprise, Dustpaw, Sandpaw, and Graypaw had already left the den. Hoping he hadn't slept in too late, he padded to the center of the camp in confusion.

Ravenpaw found the source of the commotion by the nursery. Brindleface and Runningwind were pacing back and forth by the entrance while Willowpelt, Darkstripe, and Dustpaw sat together, murmuring excitedly. Suddenly feeling as though he was being watched, Ravenpaw turned to see Tigerclaw in deep conversation with Bluestar. He met Tigerclaw's eyes for a moment before he quickly looked away. _Are they talking about me?_ he thought, remembering his disastrous hunting session only a few days before. It had taken him the whole night and half the next day to catch the four pieces of prey as Tigerclaw had ordered, and he had returned to camp exhausted and starving.

Even though his shoulder had healed, Ravenpaw had still been hunting poorly for the last few days, mostly due to his anxiety over Tigerclaw's involvement in Redtail's death. He couldn't get the battle out of his mind and at the same time wanted to forget it.

"Did you hear the news?" Mousefur's mew jolted him out of his thoughts. "Frostfur had her kits last night."

Ravenpaw purred, briefly forgetting his worries. Frostfur and Brindleface were both Ravenpaw's kin, and although they were much older and he wasn't very close with them, it was good to hear that one of them had had a successful kitting. "Oh, that's great. Have you seen them yet?"

"Yes, they're beautiful. A tom and a she-kit." Mousefur began to walk away. "If you're quick about it you might be able to visit them before you get started on your training today."

"I think I'll do that," Ravenpaw mewed. He padded over to the nursery. Willowpelt and Darkstripe were still sitting outside the entrance.

Willowpelt answered Ravenpaw's unasked question. "We've already seen them. We're just waiting for Dustpaw so we can head out on patrol." Ravenpaw nodded. Soon enough Dustpaw emerged from the nursery. His brother ignored him as he passed, as usual. Squeezing in through the hole in the brambles, Ravenpaw was nearly overwhelmed with the warm, milky scents. Frostfur was lying on her side, her kits huddled close to her, while Goldenflower and her black and white patched kits were fast asleep a few mouse-lengths away. He was irresistibly reminded of his kithood as he absorbed the calmness of the nursery. It took a moment before Frostfur noticed his presence.

"Well hello there. Another visitor," Frostfur mewed.

Realizing that Frostfur was probably tired of being intruded upon by her Clanmates, Ravenpaw pulled back toward the entrance. "Sorry! I can come another time!"

Frostfur purred, shaking her head. "No, Ravenpaw, you're fine. It's good for the Clan to see new kits." Ravenpaw looked down at the newborn kits. One was ginger, the other was a soft smudgy gray.

"Have you decided their names yet?" Ravenpaw asked.

"No, I'm still thinking about it." She nudged the small gray kit closer to her. Her motherly gesture reminded Ravenpaw of his own mother, Robinwing, who had died when he and Dustpaw were still kits. She had contracted a case of greencough that had made her weak and unable to care for herself during her last moon of life. Five kits had succumbed to greencough that season as well. He shook his head to clear it from the terrible memory.

Frostfur suddenly purred in amusement and flicked her ears toward the pale ginger queen and the kits fast asleep beside her. "Goldenflower is pleased that there are more kits in the Clan now. Her son is so worried about venturing out of the nursery. She thinks having other kits to play with might make him want to go outside more." Ravenpaw reflected that having denmates as a kit hadn't made _him_ any less reluctant to leave the safety of the nursery, but perhaps Goldenflower's kit was braver than he was.

"I remember when you were a kit, Ravenpaw," Frostfur continued warmly. "You didn't leave the nursery for the longest time. I think some of the Clan might not have even known you were born until you were nearly a moon old, the amount of time you spent inside." Ravenpaw knew she was sharing good memories, but it bothered him that his Clanmates still seemed to think of him as a cowardly kit. He often worried he would never be able to shake off his scaredy mouse reputation. "And you were always telling stories to the elders," she continued, "playing cat and mouse with Dustpaw…"

Ravenpaw sighed, remembering. He had usually been the mouse in those games. Perhaps that explained why he was so lacking in hunting skills.

He chatted with Frostfur for a short time, reminiscing about their mother and his own kithood.

Sensing that it was time to go, Ravenpaw turned to leave. "Well, it was good to see you and your kits, Frostfur," Ravenpaw meowed, dipping his head politely. Frostfur nodded in return.

Sandpaw was waiting for him as he exited the nursery. "You have battle training with Tigerclaw today at the sandy hollow," she told him, and then spun around and padded away. Ravenpaw groaned inwardly. It had taken longer than he had anticipated visiting the kits. A sudden realization hit him as he crossed the camp. This was the first day he would be alone with Tigerclaw since Redtail died. Ravenpaw sighed, trying to prevent his fur from bristling, and made his way to the sandy hollow.

* * *

When Ravenpaw arrived, Tigerclaw met his eyes with a pale glare. "Took you long enough, wasting your time in the nursery. Perhaps you wouldn't be so useless if you spent less time gossiping with queens."

"Yes, Tigerclaw," Ravenpaw bowed his head submissively. "Sorry, I lost track of time."

"I expect you to be punctual." Tigerclaw's voice boomed. "You're apparently as terrible at time management as you are at hunting."

"S-Sorry," Ravenpaw stammered, shrinking from Tigerclaw's disparaging remarks. His heart pounded with dread for what his mentor had in store for him as Tigerclaw began to pace the length of the clearing.

"So yesterday you had a chance to hunt," Tigerclaw growled, almost like it was a question.

"Yes, Tigerclaw."

"You caught a shrew."

"Yes, Tigerclaw."

"That was the only prey you have caught in the last three days," Tigerclaw snarled.

"Y-Yes, Tigerclaw." Ravenpaw tried to force his fur to lay flat. Tigerclaw looked pleased with himself. Ravenpaw guessed he could smell his fear-scent now.

"I was thinking about your terrible hunting sessions," he growled, continuing to pace. "You seem to have a complete inability to stalk correctly. And then I thought, perhaps you are such a poor hunter because you are such a poor fighter. Hunting and fighting skills go paw in paw." Tigerclaw stopped his pacing. "When warriors meet in combat, they each must fight for an advantage." His voice dropped to a low growl. "The cat who does not gain the upper paw is as good as prey."

Without warning, Tigerclaw charged forward and leaped with outstretched claws. Ravenpaw was caught by surprise. He was too slow to dodge before Tigerclaw had tackled him to the ground, but Ravenpaw, being small and skinny, was able to slither out of his grasp before he could rake him with his back claws. Tigerclaw spun around and lunged at Ravenpaw again. Ravenpaw swerved to the side as Tigerclaw charged past. The third time Tigerclaw attempted to attack he was successful. He hit Ravenpaw to the ground, and held him there, nose-to-nose.

"Are you going to fight me or not?" he hissed menacingly.

"Y-Yes, Tigerclaw," Ravenpaw gasped. He wriggled out of Tigerclaw's hold and retreated toward the edge of the clearing.

"Come on, then, attack me!"

Still shocked at the suddenness of Tigerclaw's attack, Ravenpaw nervously sized up his mentor. This was how they usually trained, with Tigerclaw mewing insults at him, but today seemed different. He seemed to be purposely trying to intimidate him. Ravenpaw noticed that his mentor's claws were already unsheathed, and gulped. He knew he was no match for the powerful warrior. _I suppose I should at least try._ He feinted to his left and ran forward to pounce onto Tigerclaw's back. But Tigerclaw was ready for him. When Ravenpaw landed on him Tigerclaw swung around so fast that Ravenpaw was thrown to the ground.

Ravenpaw scrambled away, trembling. Tigerclaw reared up onto his hindpaws and Ravenpaw shrank back, desperately trying to avoid the massive unsheathed claws. "What are you, a mouse?!" The dark tabby swung at him, his claws missing Ravenpaw's nose by a whisker. He predicted Tigerclaw's next move, but he was too slow and took a savage blow to his muzzle. It crossed his mind that perhaps Tigerclaw enjoyed this, playing with him as if he were some terrified prey animal.

He staggered to his paws and saw a dark blur at the edge of his vision. Once again, Tigerclaw tackled him to the ground and held him there. "Are you afraid of me?" he hissed. "You'll never beat me if you are." Tigerclaw let him go and allowed him to move a short distance away before he leaped again. He caught Ravenpaw mid-step as he bounded across the clearing. His claws nicked Ravenpaw's hind leg but he was able to elude the worst of his mentor's attack that time.

Ravenpaw steadied himself and attempted another pounce, his heart beating wildly. Tigerclaw twisted around and jumped at him. They met in midair, and Ravenpaw was sent flying backwards. Stunned and disoriented, he realized that the thorn like pains in his side had not come from crashing into the dusty forest floor but from his mentor's claws.

Ravenpaw trembled with fear as he spun around to ready himself for Tigerclaw's next attack. He paused when Tigerclaw met his eyes. Something about the look made Ravenpaw's blood run cold. He realized he had seen that look in Tigerclaw's eyes once before, when he had looked up after Redtail had died. Abandoning any notion of training, he bolted around the huge dark tabby to escape the sandy hollow.

But Tigerclaw was faster. He had rolled onto his back and flipped Ravenpaw into the air with his back paws before he could react. Ravenpaw realized that he had been flung halfway across the hollow and struggled back to his paws in a dazed panic. When he looked up Tigerclaw was rapidly closing the distance between them.

Ravenpaw frantically stumbled away, but before he knew what had happened, he was flipped over and slammed into the ground, back down and belly-up. Ravenpaw struggled to escape, but Tigerclaw pinned him down, one paw on his shoulder, the other on his throat. Petrified, Ravenpaw stopped breathing for a long moment. His heart pounded in his chest, and he was suddenly very aware that the two of them were alone. _Is he going to kill me?_

Suddenly, Whitestorm and Sandpaw burst into the clearing. Tigerclaw took his paws off Ravenpaw and calmly sat down as though he had just demonstrated an important battle concept.

"Hello, Tigerclaw," Whitestorm shared a nod with the dark tabby warrior, "Ravenpaw." He nodded at Ravenpaw, who was still frozen in terror on the ground. "We've finished hunting for the day, and were wondering if we might join you for a little battle training before the sun sets."

Tigerclaw had recovered quickly from being in such a seemingly murderous state. "Are you sure you want Sandpaw to practice against Ravenpaw? I wouldn't want her skills to regress from fighting such a poor opponent," he remarked. Whitestorm's eyes narrowed. Ravenpaw flipped over onto his belly and clambered to his paws.

"My shoulder just started hurting again," Ravenpaw lied, not caring if he was seen as weak. He just needed to get out of there, away from Tigerclaw. Sandpaw rolled her eyes. Whitestorm, in contrast, looked angry. Ravenpaw was surprised when he spoke not to him, but to Tigerclaw.

"You continued to fight after he aggravated his injury?" Whitestorm asked, turning his gaze to the dark warrior. He was bristling.

"What?" Tigerclaw snarled. "He never said anything!" Tigerclaw whipped around to face Ravenpaw, his tail lashing.

"It was just now," Ravenpaw mewed hastily. Whitestorm looked at him with concerned, searching eyes.

After a moment Whitestorm's fur flattened. "Then you'd best return to camp and see Spottedleaf. It won't do you any good to continue training today." His tail flicked and he turned to Tigerclaw. "Even though Ravenpaw won't be here, would you mind showing Sandpaw a few of the moves you were showing him? It would be good for her to fight a cat besides Dustpaw or myself for a change."

Their voices faded as Ravenpaw started toward the forest. He looked back and saw Whitestorm and Sandpaw facing away from him. Tigerclaw was staring back at him over their shoulders.

Ravenpaw met Tigerclaw's amber eyed glare. "Well, are you leaving or not?!" the dark tabby snarled, and with a squeak, Ravenpaw swiftly exited the sandy hollow.

He shakily followed the route back to camp. Tigerclaw had disliked him, hated him even, before Redtail had died. But today, Ravenpaw reflected, it had reached a whole new level. Ravenpaw was filled with worry as he crossed the familiar patch of forest, trying to convince himself that Tigerclaw was not aware that he had witnessed him murder Redtail, that he had just imagined the look in his eyes, and that Tigerclaw was just furious at Ravenpaw's poor warrior skills. He even tried to convince himself that perhaps Tigerclaw had not killed Redtail, but in his terror at his first battle, his mind was playing tricks on him. But he knew in his heart and mind what he had seen. _I saw him kill Redtail,_ Ravenpaw thought _. And he knows it._


	6. Chapter 5

A breeze ruffled Ravenpaw's fur as he silently stalked through the undergrowth. The scent of prey filled the air as he padded forward, blinking against the harsh sunlight as he left the shade of the trees. Prey had been surprisingly plentiful today. Ravenpaw had already caught two voles and a thrush, and he was looking forward to bringing back his growing cache.

He yawned wearily. He had not slept well that night, tormented by nightmares of Redtail being killed and Tigerclaw chasing him through the forest. The worst thing about the dreams was the look in Redtail's eyes when he realized he was about to be killed. Sometimes, Ravenpaw would try to warn Redtail as he raced toward Tigerclaw, but the former deputy never heard him, and there was always the same surprised look on his face when Tigerclaw pounced. Ravenpaw tried not to think about that.

In the moons following Redtail's death, Ravenpaw's training had continued. Tigerclaw continued to insult Ravenpaw's hunting and fighting skills, and at the back of his mind the memory of Tigerclaw murdering Redtail was always there. He just wished he could forget it ever happened. Tigerclaw seemed to be treating him normally now, if a bit harsher than he used to.

Ravenpaw's thoughts often brought him back to that terrible battle training session, just a few days after Redtail had died. He was still unsure if Tigerclaw would have killed him or not if Whitestorm hadn't showed up, but thankfully he hadn't had battle training alone with him since. If Tigerclaw really did think that Ravenpaw knew of his crime, he seemed content that his apprentice would keep silent.

Now, he was hunting alone. It was technically a punishment for failing to catch any prey on a hunting patrol the previous day, but Ravenpaw didn't mind. Spending a day away from Tigerclaw's barbed comments was fine by him, even though he was concerned that he was beginning to gain a reputation of having poor warrior skills. _Not that that's not true,_ he thought. Although he was hunting well today, he did seem to do worse whenever he trained with Tigerclaw.

And it was better than training with Dustpaw and Darkstripe as well. Ravenpaw disliked training with them mostly because of Darkstripe. The gray and black striped tom was the only warrior who would join in on Tigerclaw's taunts, although it usually wasn't too bad if another warrior was there. Ravenpaw remembered his disastrous hunting trip only one day previous. He had been taken out with Tigerclaw, Darkstripe and Dustpaw. Crouching in the undergrowth, he had been trying to pick up the scent of prey when Dustpaw brushed past him. The sudden movement had startled Ravenpaw into a panic. He leaped sideways, pelted halfway up a tree trunk, and clung to it for dear life. Only when he heard muttering from below did he realize that there had been no real danger.

Tigerclaw had snorted irritably. "I thought I was training a cat, not a squirrel! Get back here, mousebrain! You've probably scared all the prey away, crashing through the forest like that." Reluctantly, Ravenpaw had sheathed his claws and bounded down the tree. Ducking his head, he had rejoined the group.

Darkstripe's green eyes had gleamed with cruel amusement. "Does he really think he's a squirrel?"

"I think he does," Dustpaw guffawed. "No wonder he can't hunt." Both Dustpaw and Darkstripe had broken into a fit of laughter at that point. Ravenpaw had been on edge the rest of the time. Somehow Dustpaw seemed even more inclined to either tease or ignore Ravenpaw now that he had a new mentor.

At least he had one friend. Ravenpaw thought back to the conversation he had with Graypaw that morning. Graypaw had wished him luck on his hunt.

"It's hopeless, Graypaw. You know I'm useless at hunting," Ravenpaw had meowed dejectedly.

"You know, you're much too hard on yourself." Graypaw had nudged him supportively. "You're not a poor hunter, you're just inconsistent. You do fine when Tigerclaw's not around. It's almost as if you're frightened of him."

"Tigerclaw is a strict mentor. He just expects a lot, that's all." Ravenpaw didn't know why he had felt compelled to defend Tigerclaw. Perhaps if enough time passed, both he and Tigerclaw could pretend Redtail's death never happened, and things could go back to normal in their shared silence.

In the present, Ravenpaw trotted through the forest near the Thunderpath. A bird trilled nearby and Ravenpaw swiveled his ears in the direction of the sound. Having located the general direction of his prey, he crept silently past the trees until he reached a small clearing. A sparrow was resting on a tall blade of grass, unaware of his presence. He slowly crept forward, his black pelt keeping him hidden within the shaded overgrown turf. When he was a fox-length away, he pounced. The bird screeched in panic before Ravenpaw quickly killed it.

He held his tail high. For once, Tigerclaw wouldn't be able to fault him for bringing back a less than satisfactory amount of prey. Ravenpaw buried the sparrow to pick up later on his way back to camp. He realized that the forest had suddenly gone silent. The bird's alarm call must have scared away all the other prey here. He padded a short distance away to try again.

Ravenpaw sniffed the air, and picked up another cat's scent trail. Graypaw had passed by here. He wasn't surprised because he knew Graypaw had been sent that morning to deliver a message to a patrol along the WindClan border. But there was another unfamiliar scent on top of his. He circled around the area and sniffed again. Ravenpaw wrinkled his nose in disgust. He almost thought he smelled a hint of ShadowClan, but there was so much filth overlaying the scent that he couldn't be sure. Whoever this cat was, it hadn't given itself a good wash in days.

It crossed his mind that perhaps he should return to camp and return to confront the cat with a group of warriors, but he was concerned that the stranger would be long gone by the time he returned, so he nervously began to follow the scent trail through the woods. In spite of his fear, he knew he couldn't let an intruder get away with trespassing on ThunderClan territory.

The cat's scent trail weaved back and forth through the trees. As he followed it further, he became confused because it seemed to not be heading in a clear direction. He doubled back. Nervousness pulsed through him as he realized that the cat might have figured out that it was being followed, and could be trying to throw him off its scent trail. When he sniffed the air again, the cat's scent had grown fainter. He thought he heard leaves rustling, but when he looked in the direction of the sound everything was still. The silence of the forest pressed on his ears.

Suddenly, a dark gray shape burst out from the surrounding bushes. Ravenpaw yowled in alarm as he was tackled to the ground.

"Ah, a puny apprentice," the she-cat hissed in his face. "Easy prey for Yellowfang." Ravenpaw thought he had heard her name before, but he couldn't think about that now. She lowered her jaws to bite his neck. Ravenpaw writhed wildly and lashed out with his back paws, but her long fur was too clumped for his claws to break her skin. His frantic struggle loosened her grip though, and he managed to wriggle out of her grasp and bound out of reach.

"Oh, that's it? But I was just getting started." The dark gray cat lunged at Ravenpaw again, fury etching her broad, flat face. He met her paw swipes with swipes of his own, and slashed her already torn ear. Screeching, the two cats reared up onto their hind paws and grappled between the trees. Her cold, sharp claws dug into his body like thorns as they tried to unbalance each other. He pushed himself away from her and felt his fur tear as they split apart.

Spitting with rage, Yellowfang bolted toward him. Ravenpaw sidestepped her attack, and in a sudden burst of adrenaline, he surged forward and knocked Yellowfang off her paws. She let out a shocked yowl. When she rose back to her paws, Ravenpaw braced himself for an attack, but she stumbled as one of her legs gave way, and sat back down, panting.

Ravenpaw took a moment to look at her. Her long fur was clumped and matted, and she was holding one of her hind legs at an odd angle. He could scent that she hadn't eaten in a long time. But just because this cat was hungry didn't mean he could allow it to hunt on ThunderClan territory. He slowly padded forward to challenge the intruder.

"You're trespassing on ThunderClan territory," Ravenpaw meowed, sounding braver than he felt. But Yellowfang didn't seem in a hurry to leave at all.

"Oh, that explains a lot. I thought this was WindClan territory. I was wondering why there were so many trees." Ravenpaw shuffled his paws nervously. This cat was playing with him, in spite of her poor condition. She licked her forepaw and began to swipe it over her ear.

Ravenpaw continued to eye her warily. He wondered if she was just faking her leg injury to keep him off guard. He crouched, readying himself to pounce. Yellowfang tilted her head to one side, her orange eyes gleaming with a mix of mischievousness and animosity. Her leg was resting uselessly beside her. Hesitantly padding up to her, Ravenpaw weighed his options.

"Look, just leave and I won't have to hurt you," Ravenpaw implored her.

"Ha! I think I'll just stay. I doubt a scrap like you could do any damage."

Shakily Ravenpaw responded, trying to find it within himself to be intimidating. "I'm warning you-" He was cut off when she suddenly charged at him.

The two cats rolled around, screeching. Even though he could feel Yellowfang's strength ebbing, she was still a fierce opponent. He shrieked, trying to break free of her sharp clawed hold. He was unable to breathe for a moment when his face pressed into her filthy pelt.

Suddenly, a yowl rose into the air. "ThunderClan! Intruders! Attack!" Ravenpaw swung his head around looking for the source of the battle cry. It was Dustpaw! His brother must have been on hunting patrol in the area. The brown tabby apprentice burst through the gap between the gorse bushes and slammed into Yellowfang. The powerful blow sent both Yellowfang and Ravenpaw careening into the forest floor.

Dustpaw circled the rogue and growled menacingly, while Ravenpaw lay gasping on the ground, the wind knocked out of him. He began to struggle to his paws. Even though the she-cat was injured and starving, Ravenpaw knew that without other cats to help them, he and Dustpaw could still be outmaneuvered by her clever battle tactics.

Seeing her limp, Ravenpaw realized that her injury wasn't a ruse, but he knew that she still had some fight left in her.

Yellowfang leaped forward, staying low to the ground, knocking Dustpaw's front paws out from under him. He scooted back a few paces to regain his footing. Panting, Ravenpaw and Dustpaw stood at opposite ends of the clearing. Yellowfang paused, her gaze flicking from one winded apprentice to the other. "Two apprentices to fight at once," Yellowfang hissed, beginning to stumble forward. "This will be fun."

But the battle didn't last long. The scent of ThunderClan cats hit the roof of Ravenpaw's mouth just before Yellowfang reached him. Hissing in alarm, the old she-cat tried to limp away, but she wasn't fast enough. Longtail, Mousefur, and Whitestorm rushed through the bushes and formed a circle around the rogue, trapping her.

Surrounded on all sides, Yellowfang glared defiantly at her enemies.

Whitestorm padded up to the elderly she-cat. "So, what do we have here?" He sniffed the air and a look of surprise crossed his face. "Aren't you ShadowClan's medicine cat? What are you doing on our territory?"

Yellowfang stared fearlessly at the ThunderClan patrol. "I was ShadowClan's medicine cat. Now I choose to travel alone."

So he hadn't imagined that he had smelled ShadowClan, Ravenpaw realized. That also must have been why her name was familiar. He had heard about her before, he suddenly remembered. Before she had become a medicine cat she had trained as a warrior. _That explains why she was such a good fighter_ , he mused. Whitestorm paused for a long moment, deep in thought.

"Mousefur," Whitestorm mewed, turning to the dusky brown warrior. "Go find Bluestar's patrol and bring them here. They should be heading back from the WindClan border by now." Mousefur looked as though she was going to object, then she nodded and disappeared into the undergrowth. Whitestorm turned to Dustpaw and Ravenpaw. "What happened? How did you find this cat?"

"I was hunting near here and heard yowling," Dustpaw meowed. "When I got here, she was fighting Ravenpaw. She was about to give him a killing bite. If I had gotten here a few moments later, he would be dead." He flicked his tail at Ravenpaw. Yellowfang let out a scoffing snort, while Ravenpaw's tail twitched. Maybe a bit of an exaggeration on Dustpaw's part, but Yellowfang probably could have killed them if she had wanted to.

Whitestorm ignored Yellowfang. "So you found her here, Ravenpaw?" he asked.

"Yes," Ravenpaw explained. "I picked up her scent trail by the Thunderpath. I followed it here and she pounced at me from over there." He indicated the gorse bush with his tail.

Whitestorm turned to Yellowfang to question her, but the old she-cat wasn't paying close attention to them. Her eyes were scanning the trees for any sign of the ThunderClan patrol. The white warrior continued to ask about her presence on ThunderClan territory, but Yellowfang clamped her mouth shut, defiantly refusing to speak.

Whitestorm's one-sided questioning was interrupted by a group of ThunderClan warriors entering the area. Bluestar was leading them, followed by Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, Willowpelt, Graypaw and Mousefur. Yellowfang crouched defensively at the arrival of so many enemy warriors. The ThunderClan leader padded up to stand next to Whitestorm, warily observing the outsider.

"What is this? What brings you to ThunderClan territory?" Bluestar asked.

"I suppose I was just in the mood for some squirrels." Yellowfang responded. Bluestar flicked her ears at Yellowfang's remark and shot an inquiring look at Whitestorm. She turned back to Yellowfang.

"Mousefur tells me that you attacked two of our apprentices." Bluestar's eyes narrowed. "Is this true?"

Yellowfang twitched her whiskers, but said nothing. Whitestorm explained how Ravenpaw had found her, and how Dustpaw and his patrol had interrupted the old she-cat during the attack.

Bluestar turned to Yellowfang after Whitestorm told her about the old she-cat's claim of living as a loner. "Does your Clan know you are here?" Ravenpaw could see the pity in her eyes as she observed the ragged, injured she-cat.

"I am no longer a ShadowClan cat. I choose to hunt alone now," Yellowfang snarled defiantly.

Tigerclaw snorted from his place behind Bluestar. "It doesn't look like that's working out, does it?"

Darkstripe padded forward and turned to his Clanmates. "We should kill her now. This old cat is no use to us. She's going to starve anyway if we don't." Bluestar waved her tail for silence, staring intently at the old she-cat.

Finally she spoke. "Darkstripe keep your claws in. Yellowfang is known throughout the Clans for her bravery and wisdom. It may help us to hear what she has to say. We'll take her back to camp. Then we'll decide what to do with her." She turned to Yellowfang. "Can you walk?"

"I've still got three good legs." Yellowfang limped forward, her eyes glazed with pain. A few of the warriors formed a loose circle around Yellowfang, eyeing her cautiously. Ravenpaw hung back as his Clanmates began the trek back to camp, and fell into step next to Graypaw. He could hardly believe that a routine day of hunting had ended in a fight with a ShadowClan cat.

In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Graypaw trotted with a spring in his step, looking energized. "So you really fought off an enemy warrior today," he meowed in awe. "Well, a medicine cat, but still…"

"She attacked me. If Dustpaw hadn't found me I don't know what would have happened." Ravenpaw nervously glanced at Yellowfang. He didn't like the idea that this cat that had attacked him was being taken to the ThunderClan camp.

Graypaw appeared to be deep in thought, imagining himself defending his Clan from an enemy warrior. "And you weren't hurt at all?"

"Just a few scratches," Ravenpaw replied. "I can't believe I actually confronted a trespasser."

"Lucky," Graypaw meowed. "You've gotten to fight in all of these battles and I haven't even seen two cats from outside ThunderClan yet." Ravenpaw shrugged. He didn't particularly like fighting. It seemed strange to him that any cat would. He wondered how he could be a warrior if he didn't like taking part in battles. Perhaps he wasn't fit to be a warrior; he wasn't brave enough.

Abruptly, Ravenpaw remembered his fresh-kill.

"Graypaw, I forgot! I need to fetch the prey I caught earlier," Ravenpaw mewed. "I'll catch up to you later."

"Wait, I'll help you carry it back," Graypaw volunteered. "I'll tell one of the warriors first." He trotted up to Whitestorm, who nodded approvingly when he asked his question, and then trotted back to Ravenpaw. "Let's go."


	7. Chapter 6

Graypaw and Ravenpaw were among the last to reach the camp that evening, their jaws filled with prey. They set the prey down on the fresh-kill pile, and the surrounding cats purred appreciatively. Ravenpaw picked up a finch from the pile, while Graypaw chose a small vole. They carried their prey to the tree stump by the apprentices den, where they met Dustpaw and Sandpaw. Most of the Clan were already eating their evening meal, and the camp was buzzing with activity.

"So, Dustpaw was telling me how he saved you from a rogue today," Sandpaw meowed, her pale green eyes glowing with amusement.

"What?!" Graypaw leapt to Ravenpaw's defense. "He was doing fine by himself before Dustpaw showed up. You tell them, Ravenpaw!"

"Well…" Ravenpaw hesitated.

"Oh please," Dustpaw meowed. "Another moment and you would have been crow-food."

"I was actually doing alright," Ravenpaw responded. "You didn't even see most of it." His gaze flicked past his brother while he spoke, trying to find Yellowfang among his Clanmates.

"She had you pinned down! You were terrified!" Dustpaw narrowed his eyes. "And you still are. You keep looking around like she's going to leap up and attack from out of nowhere!"

"No I'm not! I just don't like the idea of having an intruder in the camp!" Ravenpaw's tail twitched anxiously.

"He's already afraid of leaves when they suddenly fall past him," Sandpaw mewed to Dustpaw, only half teasing. "I can't imagine having a rogue in the camp could make him any more jumpy."

"I am not jumpy!" Ravenpaw protested.

Dustpaw abruptly shot forward in a flash of brown fur. Startled, Ravenpaw leaped nearly a fox-length straight into the air. The other apprentices purred in amusement. Ravenpaw calmed himself by licking the ruffled fur on his chest.

They settled back into eating their meal. "Look at her, the old fleabag." Sandpaw meowed disgustedly. "When is the last time that cat groomed itself? You can smell the stink from here!"

Ravenpaw finally spotted her, by the Highrock licking her injured leg. It was clear that the few cats that had not been out on patrol already knew of Yellowfang's arrival. They were pacing, angrily eyeing the outsider. A few of the ThunderClan cats jeered at her occasionally, although Ravenpaw noticed from where he sat that Yellowfang wasn't paying any attention to them.

As the apprentices finished their meal, Bluestar's summons echoed across the camp. "Let all those cats old enough to catch their own prey join here beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting." The few cats not already in the clearing slipped out of their dens, and the ThunderClan cats began to crowd around the Highrock. Ravenpaw and the rest of the apprentices made their way into the group. As the cats settled into their spots below her, leaving an empty space around Yellowfang, Bluestar began to speak. "I'm sure you have all heard about the prisoner we brought back with us today. But there is something else important that you need to know." She paused and spoke directly to Yellowfang. "Can you hear me down there?"

"I may be old, but I'm not deaf yet!" Yellowfang spat back.

Bluestar ignored Yellowfang's hostility and continued. "I'm afraid I have some very grave news. As many of you had noticed, the scent of WindClan across Fourtrees has diminished greatly in the last few days. I had my suspicions as to the reason for this, so today I traveled with a patrol deep into WindClan territory to investigate. We found no WindClan cats. We did, however, detect the scent of ShadowClan." Ravenpaw's heart dropped. "The scent was everywhere. Nearly every tree had been sprayed by ShadowClan warriors. Clearly, something terrible has happened to WindClan."

A hushed silence fell over the camp. It was broken by Smallear, sitting near the back of the gathered cats with the elders. "Do you mean ShadowClan has chased them out?"

"We can't be sure. Certainly the scent of ShadowClan was everywhere. We travelled to their camp, and found blood, too, and fur. There must have been a battle, though we found no bodies from either Clan." The gathered cats let out shocked yowls. Ravenpaw shared a horrified glance with Graypaw. No Clan had ever been driven out of its territory before now.

"How can WindClan have been driven out?" rasped the elderly One-eye from beside Smallear. "ShadowClan is fierce, but WindClan is many. They have lived in the uplands since the dawn of the Clans. Why have they been chased out now?" The elder's whiskers trembled as she spoke.

"I don't know the answers to any of your questions," Bluestar meowed. "Brokenstar has been difficult to read ever since he was appointed leader of ShadowClan, but he gave no hint of any threat when we met him at the last Gathering."

"Perhaps Yellowfang has answers?" Darkstripe's voice rose from the gathered cats. "After all, she is of ShadowClan!"

Yellowfang's eyes blazed. "I am no traitor!" she snarled. "Nothing would make me share the secrets of ShadowClan with a brute like you!" The two cats glared aggressively at each other. Darkstripe moved to face her, ears flat and tail lashing.

"Stop!" Bluestar yowled. The dark gray and black striped warrior immediately stopped moving forward, although he still glared angrily at Yellowfang. The old she-cat hissed at him, and he appeared to be using all of his self-control to stop from flinging himself at her.

"That's enough!" growled Bluestar. "This situation is too serious for us to be fighting among ourselves." Her gaze swept over the cats below her. "ThunderClan must prepare itself. From this moonrise onward, warriors will travel in larger groups. Other Clan members will remain close to the camp. Patrols will travel the boundary edges more frequently, and all kits must stay near the nursery." Murmurs of approval spread through the Clan. "Our need for warriors is our greatest obstacle. We shall get around this by speeding up the training of our apprentices. They need to be ready even sooner to fight for our Clan."

Dustpaw and Sandpaw exchanged an excited glance. Ravenpaw anxiously shuffled his paws.

"What about the prisoner? What will we do with her?" Ravenpaw recognized Longtail's voice.

"Yellowfang will be allowed to stay here until she has recovered her strength. We are warriors, not savages. She is to be treated with respect and courtesy."

"But the Clan cannot support Yellowfang," Darkstripe yowled. "We already have too many mouths to feed already."

Ravenpaw heard Yellowfang yowl something back, but from his spot at the edge of the crowd he couldn't make out her words over the murmurs of his Clanmates. Bluestar waited for the Clan to fall silent.

"More warriors than ever are need for our increased patrols," Bluestar mewed. "Therefore, I have decided that the responsibility of caring for Yellowfang will be given to our apprentices. They will hunt for her and tend her wounds. They will fetch fresh bedding and clear away her dirt." She paused, eyeing the incredulous looks on the four apprentices faces. "They will do this in addition to their training and other duties."

Graypaw's face fell with disappointment. Ravenpaw glanced worriedly at him. He didn't want to even approach this intimidating she-cat, let alone care for her!

Sandpaw raised her voice in protest. "What?! We have to clear away this mange ridden cat's dirt?!"

"I thought our training was going to be sped up!" yowled Dustpaw. "How can we train to be warriors if we're stuck hunting for this flea-pelt?!"

"Enough!" Bluestar's yowl interrupted their protests. "Yellowfang is a healer, and she is your elder. For those reasons alone you should respect her!" She looked sharply at Sandpaw and Dustpaw, her blue eyes blazing with anger. Ravenpaw could hardly believe Sandpaw and Dustpaw had directly questioned their Clan leader's orders in front of the whole Clan. "Dustpaw, you should be honored to hunt for Yellowfang, and I should think you shall be able to improve your hunting skills with the extra prey you will be bringing her. And Sandpaw, there is no humiliation in caring for a cat that is unable to care for itself." The two apprentices ducked their heads at the reprimand. Bluestar paused, and Ravenpaw wondered if she would formally punish them for their objections. "This meeting is over. I would like to speak to my senior warriors now." As Bluestar leaped down from the Highrock, Lionheart, Whitestorm, and Tigerclaw padded after her into her den. Dustpaw and Sandpaw seemed unusually subdued as they made their way back to the apprentices' den.

"Can you believe them?" Graypaw meowed as the Clan started to disperse. "Challenging Bluestar like that?"

Ravenpaw shrugged. He supposed it made sense that the apprentices would be responsible for Yellowfang. The warriors would be too busy, and caring for Clan elders was already one of the duties of an apprentice. But a part of him agreed with Dustpaw and Sandpaw, and he also worried about how Yellowfang would react to him. He had just gotten into a vicious battle with this cat, and now he had to care for her?

* * *

Back at the apprentices den a little while later, Ravenpaw heard an irate yowl echo across the camp.

"It looks like she wants something," Graypaw meowed. "Maybe one of us should go over there." An uncertain look passed between them. Ravenpaw looked nervously at the ground, waiting for one of the other apprentices to volunteer. When he looked up, all three of his denmates were looking at him.

"You first, Ravenpaw," Dustpaw mewed.

Ravenpaw felt the fur on his shoulders spike. "What?! No, you can go."

"No, it's alright." Dustpaw meowed, his eyes gleaming. "You can go."

"It's only fair," Sandpaw mewed. "You found her, after all. We'll just watch from here." She and Dustpaw mrrowed in amusement.

"Why don't we all go?" Ravenpaw pleaded. He looked quickly between Sandpaw's face, then to Dustpaw's, and then to Graypaw's.

"Are you afraid of her?" Dustpaw asked.

"What, are you?" Ravenpaw challenged his brother.

"No, but you clearly are." Dustpaw's whiskers twitched; he was clearly entertained by Ravenpaw's discomfort.

"I am not," Ravenpaw lied. Sandpaw, Graypaw, and Dustpaw looked unconvinced. Ravenpaw gave up on any semblance of appearing undaunted and fixed them with his most imploring gaze. "Come on! I just got into a fight with her today. I can't go alone; she'll claw my ears off!" Ravenpaw stood silently, staring at his denmates with anxious, wide eyes.

Dustpaw broke the silence. "Fine, I'll come with you, you little scaredy-mouse." He flicked his tail across Ravenpaw's flank, and Ravenpaw fell into step behind him.

Dustpaw walked confidently across the camp, his tail held high. Ravenpaw trailed further behind him as they approached the prisoner. When they were a fox-length away, Yellowfang's let out an enraged snarl. "Stop right there!" Ravenpaw froze where he was standing, half hidden behind his brother. "If you think you're going to just walk right up and start grooming my fur you're mistaken!"

Dustpaw sighed. "We're just doing what we've been told," he meowed. "Bluestar ordered us to tend to you and that's what we're doing." He added harshly: "So, what do you want us to do then?"

"I want you to leave me alone, in peace!" Yellowfang bared her blackened teeth at them, and Ravenpaw dug his claws into the ground to prevent himself from running away.

"We don't like this any more than you do," Ravenpaw quietly pointed out. Dustpaw moved to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his brother in a rare show of support.

"Now just let us bring you food, or tend your wounds or something, and we'll leave you alone!" growled Dustpaw.

"I don't need you bunch of kits looking after me!"

Dustpaw lashed his tail impatiently. "Well you don't really have a choice in the matter."

Yellowfang's voice lowered to a threatening hiss. "Let's get one thing clear, kitty. I don't want your help. I don't need it. And if you even try, I'll finish what I started earlier!" Yellowfang crouched as though she was readying herself to pounce.

"I'd like to see _you_ try!" Dustpaw's eyes blazed as he faced the injured prisoner. Ravenpaw braced himself to run if the two cats sprang at each other. "We would have flattened you if our Clanmates hadn't arrived-"

"Right, like you could have attacked lying on the ground!" Yellowfang responded.

"Yeah, when you were running forward I knew you were aiming for my shoulders even though you were looking in the opposite direction. Like I would actually fall for that trick-"

Yellowfang cut in. "Oh, please, apprentice! If you ever earn your warrior name it should be Voleleg, since you fought like a three-legged vole!"

"Oh, really?! So we were evenly matched then!" Dustpaw shot back.

Yellowfang suddenly began trembling all over, wheezing. Ravenpaw shared a startled glance with Dustpaw. Was she having some kind of fit? After a few moments of confusion, the realization hit Ravenpaw. She wasn't wheezing, she was purring with laughter.

She coughed away her amused purrs and looked at Dustpaw with new eyes. "I like your spirit, apprentice. Now, I'm tired and my leg hurts. I need some sleep and something to put on this wound. Go and find that pretty little medicine cat of yours and ask her for some herbs. I think you'll find a goldenrod poultice would help. And while you're at it, I wouldn't mind a few poppy seeds to chew on. This pain in my leg is killing me! And you," she turned to a stunned Ravenpaw. "Go fetch me some prey, I'm famished." She seemed to enjoy ordering them around. "And find out where my den is, I'm tired and I want some sleep."

Ravenpaw and Dustpaw shared one last glance before they turned and trotted quickly away, Dustpaw to the medicine den, Ravenpaw to the fresh-kill pile. Still shocked at her sudden mood change, Ravenpaw returned with a mouse. Yellowfang accepted it without comment and picked it clean, while Ravenpaw lingered awkwardly.

Dustpaw emerged from the medicine den with a large bundle of herbs in his jaws, but instead of returning to Yellowfang, he indicated the fallen oak with his tail and began to pad over to it. Ravenpaw guessed that this was where Yellowfang would sleep. Yellowfang seemed to realize this too, and she slowly began to heave herself to her paws. She looked to be in pain, but Ravenpaw knew he would only receive a clawed ear if he attempted to help.

He led the way to the fallen oak, Yellowfang limping slowly behind. Ravenpaw looked back every so often to check where she was. He was still worried that she might suddenly pounce at him, so he stayed slightly farther away from her than he would have normally until he reached Dustpaw's side.

"Here." Dustpaw pushed the bundle of herbs toward Yellowfang. She sniffed carefully at them and began to expertly separate several stalks of golden flowers from the rest.

Ravenpaw shared a tentative glance with Dustpaw. "Did you want one of us to make the poultice?" Ravenpaw asked.

"Do you think I'm so helpless that I can't chew a few flowers?" the old she-cat hissed. Yellowfang quickly chewed the goldenrod stems into a poultice, and Dustpaw and Ravenpaw lingered uncertainly as she applied it to her injured leg. _At least we don't have to do it ourselves,_ thought Ravenpaw.

Finally she dismissed them. "Well, what are you standing around for? Leave me in peace," she growled as she bent down to lick up the poppy seeds. As she curled up in her nest, Yellowfang turned her orange eyes to Dustpaw. "And just so we're clear, I _would_ have beaten you, _Voleleg_."


	8. Chapter 7

That night, the four apprentices met with Bluestar and their mentors to quickly split up their tasks for the next few days. Ravenpaw had gotten the first day to stay in the camp and tend to Yellowfang. Dustpaw would hunt for her, while Graypaw and Sandpaw would each remain in the camp to care for her and hunt for her in the next few days.

Ravenpaw was not looking forward to caring for Yellowfang. What if she had fleas, or ticks, or wanted him to put herbs on her wounds? He shuddered. At least he wouldn't have to clear away her dirt. Whitestorm had insisted that the task was given to Sandpaw, as punishment for her outburst at the Clan meeting.

Now, most of the ThunderClan cats were milling around outside of their dens, waiting for orders. Ravenpaw noticed that although Yellowfang appeared to be asleep, her ears were twisted in the direction of the gathered cats.

Lionheart was standing at the center of the camp, organizing patrols. "As it was discussed yesterday, Dustpaw, you will hunt for Yellowfang this morning, and Ravenpaw you will stay in camp today and tend to her needs." Ravenpaw nodded anxiously, still slightly disappointed that he would be confined to camp for a day. Why did he have to be first? At least it was a day away from training with Tigerclaw, but still, he was dreading the moment that he would have to talk to Yellowfang again.

Sandpaw sent him a smug look from across the clearing, but Lionheart noticed. "Sandpaw, don't get complacent now. When you return tonight you will get your chance to tend to Yellowfang." The group of warriors purred in amusement, and Lionheart moved onto the rest of the patrols. "Whitestorm," he mewed briskly, "You take the ShadowClan border. Bring Longtail, Runningwind and Sandpaw." Whitestorm nodded and turned to gather the named cats as Lionheart faced the rest of the gathered ThunderClan warriors. "I will be leading the RiverClan border patrol. Graypaw and Mousefur, you will be joining me." Graypaw stood up and began to pad toward the camp entrance, while Mousefur nodded.

Lionheart looked directly at the dusky brown warrior. "Tonight, Mousefur, when you return from the RiverClan border patrol, you will lead the dusk patrol along the ShadowClan border. Take Darkstripe and Dustpaw with you." The dusky brown warrior murmured her acknowledgement and stood back. Lionheart continued, turning to face Tigerclaw, who had been patiently waiting to be assigned a task. "Graypaw scented a fox yesterday, near the Thunderpath. Tigerclaw, at sunhigh today, you will lead a patrol to chase the fox off ThunderClan territory."

Tigerclaw nodded calmly with his chin held high, as though purposely finding and battling foxes was an everyday occurrence. "Whom shall I take with me?" he asked.

"Darkstripe and Willowpelt." Lionheart turned to the black striped warrior. "Darkstripe, bring Dustpaw along. It should be good experience for him." Willowpelt and Darkstripe nodded seriously, while Dustpaw kneaded the ground, clearly excited at having the chance to fight a fox. Ravenpaw twitched his ears. He was clearly not considered advanced enough to join his mentor, even though Dustpaw was. Not that he would want to face a fox. He bristled, imagining a battle with one of the vicious dog-like creatures.

As the cats split up for their patrols, Ravenpaw saw Dustpaw walk up to Yellowfang. The two cats snarled at each other before Dustpaw spun around and left through the gorse tunnel. He wondered what his brother could have had to say to the old cat.

Ravenpaw passed the time by helping reinforce the camp. The warriors that weren't on patrol were either out hunting or were strengthening the camp wall. Tigerclaw was helping the elders dig a hole to store fresh-kill, while Willowpelt was helping the queens weave thorns and brambles into the nursery wall. Ravenpaw stayed as far away from his mentor as possible by helping to fill in the spaces at the far edge of the camp with brambles.

As he was working, a yowl suddenly rang across the camp. Ravenpaw turned to find the source of the sound. It was Yellowfang. She let out another sharp yowl. His Clanmates were looking at him. Ravenpaw whipped around, hoping that maybe his fellow apprentices had returned, but Graypaw, Sandpaw, and Dustpaw were still gone. It would have to be him. He apprehensively walked up to the old she-cat. Her head was raised as she prepared to yowl again.

"Did you need something?" Ravenpaw asked, tail twitching anxiously.

"Is that apprentice going to come back before I starve? He promised me a thrush, and I'm hungry."

"You mean Dustpaw? He's hunting for you right now. He should be back soon." _I think._ Ravenpaw hoped his brother would hurry up and return with prey so he wouldn't be stuck making excuses to this grumpy old cat. He flashed a glance at the fresh-kill pile. It was still empty.

"Well, he should hurry it up then." Yellowfang sniffed.

Ravenpaw lingered indecisively, wondering if he should offer to do anything in the meantime.

"Are you littermates?" Yellowfang asked suddenly.

"With Dustpaw?" Ravenpaw was surprised at her interest. "Yes. Why?"

"Oh, I don't know." Yellowfang's eyes gained a mocking gleam. "He just seems to be farther along in his warrior training, that's all." She waited for a reaction for a moment before she continued. "He was already trusted to hunt alone this morning, he's going with a warrior patrol to chase off a fox at sunhigh, and he's even joining a border patrol this evening . . ." She was trying to draw him into a fight, to annoy him, and Ravenpaw tried to appear unbothered, even though her words pricked like thorns. He was already very aware that his brother had advanced further than he had. "I bet you wish you were good enough to fight a fox," Yellowfang hissed challengingly.

Ravenpaw shrugged. "Not really," he answered honestly. "I hope I never have to fight a fox."

Yellowfang's eyes narrowed into slits. "You are different from him. Your brother has the spirit of a warrior. You, on the other paw, have the spirit of a frightened kittypet."

Ravenpaw looked down. Yellowfang was right. He was a coward. But he couldn't take her insults lying down. "At least I don't fight like a three-legged vole, right?"

"No, more like a two legged one," Yellowfang replied snarkily.

Ravenpaw closed his eyes. There was no point. He would never be able to win an argument against this sharp-tongued cat. "Is there anything I can do for you?" he mewed wearily.

Yellowfang sighed. "Well, I'm hungry, but I haven't been given any prey yet. I need to treat my wounds again today. I might as well do that in the meantime. Go get me some herbs and more poppy seeds."

Glad to get a few moments away from the acerbic old she-cat, Ravenpaw trotted over to the entrance of the medicine den. He scraped his claws on the ground to announce his presence. "Spottedleaf?" He peered into the darkness of the medicine den. The sound of pawsteps alerted him that she had heard him, and the tortoiseshell medicine cat padded out into the sunlight.

"I expect you're here for herbs for Yellowfang?"

"Yes."

"One moment." She disappeared back into the shadows. After a short time, Spottedleaf returned with a bundle of leaves. She placed it on the ground in front of Ravenpaw.

"Is this all I need?" Ravenpaw sniffed at the bundle.

Spottedleaf nodded. "She'll know what to do with them."

"Okay. Thanks, Spottedleaf." Ravenpaw bent to pick up the bundle of herbs and trotted out of the medicine den. He made his way back to Yellowfang.

Yellowfang's eyes narrowed as he approached. "I don't smell very many poppy seeds." She nosed the bundle when he dropped it in front of her. "Is that it?" she growled as she rolled open the bundle. "I need more than this, my leg is killing me!"

"I could ask Spottedleaf for some more," Ravenpaw offered.

"Well don't stand around like a brainless rabbit, do it then!" Yellowfang snarled. Flinching at her harsh tone, he swiftly walked back to the medicine den.

Spottedleaf must have scented his approach, for she poked her head out of her den, and padded out into the clearing to meet him. "Is there a problem?"

"She's asking for more poppy seeds."

Spottedleaf shook her head. "I gave her only a few because she already had some last night. Tell her if the pain is really bothering her that much I can take a look at her injury, but I'm not comfortable giving her so many poppy seeds in such a short time." She glanced in Yellowfang's direction, then turned and slipped back into her den.

Ravenpaw reluctantly made his way back to the old she-cat.

"Where are the poppy seeds?" Yellowfang asked.

"Spottedleaf said you already had enough last night." Yellowfang snorted contemptuously. Ravenpaw hesitantly continued. "She said she'd take a closer look at your leg if you'll let her-"

"Bah! I can take care of my own wounds." Yellowfang turned to groom her injury and winced. Her leg was clearly still bothering her, but her sense of pride was too great for her to ask for help from another medicine cat. She continued to stiffly groom her wounded leg. Ravenpaw shifted his weight on his paws uncertainly. "Spottedleaf!" Yellowfang spat suddenly. "I've been treating injured cats for generations! Does she think I don't know how to treat myself?! I'm a medicine cat, for StarClan's sake!" Her face was filled with anger for a moment, before the look faded, her eyes growing distant.

Ravenpaw hesitantly broke the silence. "Is there anything else you want me to-"

"Do what you want! It's not like anything you cats do will help me anyway!" Startled at her sudden ferocity, Ravenpaw darted away. After he had put what he thought was a sufficient distance between them, he looked back. Yellowfang had stopped grooming herself, and was staring blankly ahead, her head resting on her paws. He supposed he had fulfilled his duty to tend to her, for now.

The patrols were slowly starting to trickle back into camp. He searched the group for Dustpaw, but he still wasn't back. Ravenpaw decided that he would continue to patch the edge of the camp.

As Ravenpaw crossed the camp he noticed Frostfur relaxing near the nursery, along with Goldenflower and the older queen, Speckletail. They were keeping a close eye on Frostfur's and Goldenflower's young kits, who were tussling together in the shade of the trees. "Hello, Ravenpaw," Goldenflower called, beckoning him to join her. "I saw you tending to the prisoner." She blinked sympathetically.

"Yes. Dustpaw is catching her prey. I had to bring her more herbs just now."

"That sounds tough."

"Yes," he replied. "She hates me."

Blinking reassuringly, Goldenflower continued. "Don't worry, it won't last forever. Bluestar will think of something."

Frostfur looked up from her grooming. "I wonder what Bluestar will decide to do with her once her wounds have healed." the white she-cat meowed.

Ravenpaw was about to reply when he noticed movement from within the gorse tunnel. Dustpaw had finally arrived back in the camp. He padded over to Yellowfang and dropped a thrush in front of her.

She responded with a snarl that echoed across the camp. "I thought you just fought like a three-legged vole. I didn't know you hunted like one as well! I could have caught five pieces of prey in that amount of time when I was an apprentice!"

"Catch your own prey then," Dustpaw snapped back at her over his shoulder, and he walked away to join Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, and Willowpelt, who were waiting for him by the gorse tunnel. As the fox chasing patrol left the camp, Yellowfang began to pick at the thrush with her claws, but didn't start eating.

Speckletail's eyes narrowed in distaste. "The ungrateful creature," she meowed. "If ThunderClan hadn't taken her in, she would be starving right now."

Goldenflower and Frostfur murmured their agreement. Ravenpaw eyed Yellowfang, who was still staring blankly at the thrush.

Speckletail continued, shooting a dark glance at Yellowfang. "It's an extra cat for the Clan to support, and we already don't have enough warriors for the number of queens, elders and kits as it is."

Frostfur nodded. "And especially now that I'm expecting my second litter any day-" she broke off suddenly and spun around. "No, Cinderkit!" Frostfur scolded her little gray kit. "We don't pounce on cats' tails when they are trying to sleep!" She turned to a ruffled tortoiseshell elder who had been napping in a patch of sunlight. "Sorry, Dappletail." Frostfur steered Cinderkit away from the elder.

She was still telling her off when they reached the nursery. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't pounce on other cats' tails without asking them first!"

"But I'm bored!"

"Then go play with Brackenkit and Swiftkit!" Frostfur flicked her tail at a ginger tabby kit and a black and white kit.

"They're no fun, all they want to do is play Clan Leader. And Brackenkit always gets to be ThunderClan leader."

The ginger kit's ears twitched in response to hearing his name. "I do not!" he protested.

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Do not!"

"I could tell you a story," Ravenpaw offered, padding up from behind Frostfur. Cinderkit perked up immediately, argument forgotten.

"Yes, please!" The kits crowded around him, looking up at him with eager eyes. Frostfur blinked gratefully at him.

"Well . . . um . . ." he began, surprised to have distracted them so easily. "Well . . . there was once a Clan called DarkClan. . . and another called, well. . . LightClan, and in between their two territories there was a. . . uh. . . willow tree. Yes, a willow tree. So this willow tree was fought over every season between these two Clans." He began to tell a story he made up on the spot about a group of imaginary Clans. The forest swayed around them, and as he saw the enthusiasm in the kit's eyes, he couldn't help but forget his worries.

* * *

"Suddenly, their leader stepped toward him. 'No! I won't let you steal my Clan away from me!' he yowled. He leaped forward claws first onto the LightClan warrior, sending him crashing to the ground. But his attack had been a signal for the DarkClan warriors to make their last stand. The DarkClan cats surged forward and the two Clans met in a fight of such a large scale that nothing like it has ever been seen since." Ravenpaw paused dramatically, closing his eyes and then opening them as he went on. "Tragically, both leaders were killed in the battle. But not all was lost. The deputies of their Clans became leaders, and together, they formed a truce. They decided that never again would they fight over the Great Willow, and the forest was at peace once more."

The kits sat, wide eyed, as he finished his story. "Wow! That was better than Smallear's LionClan story!" Cinderkit exclaimed.

A small crowd had gathered as he had told the story. Bluestar padded up from behind him, and Ravenpaw nearly jumped out of his fur. He had not realized his Clan leader had been listening. _She must think I'm neglecting my duties!_ He braced himself for a reprimand, but Bluestar purred, catching him off guard. "I haven't heard one as good as that since Larksong told me one about the battle of Snakerocks."

"Oh yes, I remember that one," Speckletail meowed. The older cats conversation turned to nursery tales they had heard as kits. Ravenpaw took the chance to slip away. He realized he was being followed when he glanced back to see Cinderkit a whisker length from his nose.

"Ravenpaw, why doesn't that elder like us?" The little gray kit flicked her tail.

For the first time since he had started the story he looked over to see Yellowfang. Her gaze was resting on the group of kits near the nursery, and the expression within her orange eyes bordered on hate. Ravenpaw was taken aback. Why would she despise defenseless kits so much, even if they weren't from her birth Clan? He wondered for a moment and then shook his head to clear it. It really wasn't so strange that an irritable outcast hated kits; he would have been even more surprised if she had liked them.

"Well. . ." Ravenpaw mewed hesitantly, thinking that Frostfur really ought to be the one explaining this to Cinderkit. "She's not our Clanmate. She's a prisoner."

"Why?" Cinderkit asked, her blue eyes curious.

Rays of the setting sun were beginning to slant through the trees, and Ravenpaw was saved from saying anymore by Frostfur. "Alright, now, it's getting late," Frostfur called. "Time to go inside."


	9. Chapter 8

Ravenpaw stood in the long shadow of Sunningrocks. There was an air of calmness in the area and Ravenpaw allowed himself to be soothed by the silence. He stared at the rocks, examining the path of cracks and crevices on its surface.

Ravenpaw suddenly heard the rhythmic low sound of paws thrumming against the ground, and when he turned his head, a large battle scarred cat was racing toward him. Tigerclaw! His teeth were bared in a snarl and his claws were covered in blood. Ravenpaw turned to run, but found that he didn't remember how. His paws were rooted to the ground. "No!" he wailed. "Please, no!" He felt a paw jab at his side. The scene blurred. His name was being whispered into the air.

"W-What? What is it?!"

"Wake up, Ravenpaw. It's time for training." He opened his eyes to see Graypaw's face a mouse-length away from his own.

Ravenpaw, sat up wide-eyed and alert. He was not looking forward to facing Tigerclaw today. Still shaken from his dream, he slipped out of the apprentices' den. Yellowfang was sleeping soundly in her spot by the fallen tree trunk.

The days after Yellowfang had arrived at the ThunderClan camp had passed quickly. Although Ravenpaw was still intimidated by the old she-cat, he was slowly getting used to having her around. As Yellowfang continued to recover, she had developed a ravenous appetite. Dustpaw caught most of her prey, and he often complained that he was doing more than his share of the work. The young tabby apprentice and Yellowfang bickered constantly, and the old she-cat had taken to calling him Voleleg. Even though they argued, Yellowfang seemed to trust him the most, and had even acquiesced to letting him treat her injured leg, which was healing quickly.

But Ravenpaw didn't have to worry about Yellowfang today, since it was Sandpaw's turn to look after her. The young she-cat was already resting outside of Yellowfang's den, her expression bitter.

Trotting beside Graypaw, Ravenpaw headed out of the camp through the gorse tunnel.

"Lionheart is taking me to the Great Sycamore today, to practice my climbing," Graypaw meowed as they followed the path to the sandy hollow. "Do you know what you're doing yet?"

"No," Ravenpaw sighed. Tigerclaw had only told him to be at the training hollow at dawn.

"Well hopefully we can join each other later," Graypaw mewed, echoing his thoughts. They trotted to the top of the ravine together, and they were about to go their separate ways when they scented both Lionheart and Tigerclaw nearby. Graypaw's eyes brightened. "Oh, you're meeting Tigerclaw at the sandy hollow too? I wonder if we're training together today."

Ravenpaw nodded in agreement. "I hope so." The two apprentices padded side by side to join their mentors, who by their scent trail, were both in the training hollow. When they reached the sandy hollow, Graypaw bounded up to enthusiastically greet Lionheart, and Ravenpaw meowed a hesitant hello to Tigerclaw. In spite of his mentor's presence Ravenpaw brightened. It seemed from the way Tigerclaw and Lionheart had been speaking to each other when they walked in that he and Graypaw were having a joint training session.

After a moment Lionheart rose to his paws. "Alright, Graypaw, Ravenpaw, are you ready to test your climbing skills? Let's not waste any sunlight and head to the Great Sycamore." Lionheart beckoned with his tail for them to follow, and he and Tigerclaw disappeared into the trees. Their apprentices hurried to catch up, and then fell into step beside them.

"Now, Graypaw," Lionheart meowed as they walked through the forest, "what is the most important thing to remember when climbing a tree?"

Graypaw frowned. "Um, don't fall?" Lionheart purred in amusement. Tigerclaw snorted impatiently.

"Yes, I suppose that's true, but beyond that. What do you do to make sure that you don't fall?" Lionheart waited a moment for an answer, but Graypaw was silent. "Ravenpaw, do you know?"

Ravenpaw did know. He had heard Dustpaw talking with Sandpaw about his own tree climbing training session a moon or so earlier. "Always be aware of where you're putting your paws."

Lionheart nodded approvingly. "Exactly, Ravenpaw." They walked through a thick patch of undergrowth. "And here we are." The four cats trotted out into the clearing surrounding the Great Sycamore. The tall thick tree looked out of place, jutting out of the ground from an area with almost no undergrowth. Ravenpaw noticed that the thick branches that jutted out of the tree's trunk were regularly spaced both sideways and vertically, and thinned predictably into smaller branches, and he guessed this was why the Great Sycamore was used so much for tree climbing practice.

Lionheart and Tigerclaw turned back to the apprentices. This time, Tigerclaw spoke. "Now, I'm sure you two have climbed trees before, so we're not going to sit around here all day and talk about how to climb them. However, you must realize that climbing trees for fun as kits is very different from climbing them to hunt prey, or to gain a tactical advantage in battle." His eyes narrowed into slits as he continued. "As Ravenpaw said earlier in one of his few displays of competence, when you are climbing a tree, you must always know where your paws are at every moment, and where you're going to put them in the next."

Lionheart spoke now. "Be careful when you move your paws from one branch to another. You must be aware of the thickness of the branch you are moving to, whether it will support your weight, how much it will shake when you step onto it. Judge wrong, and you may find yourself seriously injured or dead from a fall." Graypaw was nodding vigorously, apparently trying to absorb every detail. Ravenpaw shuddered, imagining himself stepping off a tree branch and plummeting to the ground.

"And in addition to that, you must be silent," Tigerclaw added. "If you are getting into position to attack an enemy from a tree, you must not make any noise that will alert them. Today our main focus will be on judging jump distance, but also focus on being as quiet as possible. It will be more difficult for you to learn in the future if you don't think about it when you start."

"Now, let's try some climbing." Lionheart got a running start to claw his way up the trunk to the lowest branches a few fox-lengths off the ground.

"You first." Tigerclaw nudged Ravenpaw forward. He slowly started toward the Great Sycamore, and broke into a run. Ravenpaw used his speed to quickly pull himself up onto the branch next to Lionheart. Next, Tigerclaw joined them, and finally Graypaw. Ravenpaw hopped aside clumsily when the gray apprentice landed next to him.

"Alright, you two, why don't you try to jump between a few branches," Lionheart meowed. "See how high you can get. And remember, think before you leap!"

Graypaw stared intensely at a branch and sprang toward it, landing easily on all four paws.

"Now you," Tigerclaw growled in Ravenpaw's ear. The branches were all thick and close by. Ravenpaw knew he could make the jump to any of them, but hesitated. He picked out a branch slightly above his head. It didn't have any small twigs sticking out that could poke him, but it wasn't so smooth that his claws wouldn't be able to get a grip. He carefully determined the distance between himself and the branch, his mind filled with Lionheart's warnings.

"We don't have all day!" Tigerclaw jabbed him with a paw just as he was about to jump. Startled, he leaped forward and up, and managed to dig his claws into the bark and scramble up onto the branch. _What happened to think before you leap?_

As Ravenpaw steadied himself, he heard Lionheart's mew. "Alright, Ravenpaw, try for the next one." He peered through the rustling leaves, trying to pinpoint the exact position of the branches. Ravenpaw crouched almost as if readying himself to pounce during a hunt, and leaped. He landed neatly on the next branch, and immediately located another one at the same level that he could jump to. The branch was a bit too thin for Ravenpaw's liking, and he inched nearer to the trunk so he would end up at a thicker portion of it. Having found a good spot to reach it, he sprang forward. He wasn't prepared for the branch to swing wildly when he landed, but after a moment it stabilized, and he was able to keep going.

Tigerclaw and Lionheart stayed near the bottom, looking up to critique their apprentices' progress. "Move up some more, Ravenpaw!" Tigerclaw yowled through the leaves. "You're never going to catch any birds if you only stay in the lower branches." Ravenpaw traversed between several branches in quick succession. Dizzily he realized he had ended up nearly twice as high as he had been before. He heard Tigerclaw yowl again. "You're making more noise than a family of crows!" Ravenpaw concentrated on being as quiet as possible when he jumped to the next branch, but it was difficult to stay silent when his claws scraped against the bark.

When a branch shook below him, he heard Lionheart's mew. "Steady, Graypaw. Use your tail for balance."

Ravenpaw made one more leap before he heard Lionheart's voice addressing him.

"Good job, both of you. Ravenpaw, you did really well at choosing where to leap. And Graypaw that was a good series of jumps there. You clearly understood what I was saying earlier. Good work."

Ravenpaw looked down through the leaves at Lionheart. "Shall we come down now?"

"You seem to know what you're doing," Lionheart called. "Let's see if you can reach the top." Ravenpaw looked up. Even though he was halfway up the tree already, the top seemed further away than it had when he had been on the ground.

Ravenpaw continued his trek upward. The branches were getting thinner now, but he had figured out how to jump lightly and quickly balance on the waving branches. He paused to take in the scent of the leaves. This wasn't so bad. In fact, Ravenpaw almost enjoyed tree climbing. As long as he didn't look down, it was relaxing to be among the shaded greenleaf foliage.

Suddenly, the branch he was balancing on shook violently. He crouched down and dug his claws into it, clinging on for dear life as it swung up and down. As it slowed to a stop he noticed the source of the sudden movement. "Graypaw!" he gasped. "What are you doing?! Find your own branch!"

"Sorry, Ravenpaw! This is the only way to the top." Graypaw leaped into the air to reach the next branch, causing another series of tremors to shake the one Ravenpaw was still holding onto.

"Be careful!" he warned as Graypaw landed cleanly on the higher, thinner branch. The gray apprentice jumped again. Ravenpaw watched as Graypaw progressed higher and higher. The branches were slanted at steeper angles and were growing thinner. Graypaw was very near the top now, and every time his friend moved to a new branch, Ravenpaw feared that it would snap. Graypaw wasn't leaping anymore, only climbing between the closely spaced branches. Soon, Graypaw had reached as far as he could possibly go. He stood and touched a paw to the branch, surveying his surroundings. Then he slowly made his way back down. Ravenpaw breathed a sigh of relief.

The two apprentices descended together down to the base of the tree, where Tigerclaw and Lionheart were waiting. "Good job." Lionheart was looking directly at Graypaw, and the young apprentice seemed to glow at the praise.

"We still have time for a quick bit more climbing practice before Tigerclaw and I have to join a patrol. Come on." The four cats walked together back into the forest with Lionheart in the lead. "I was thinking that you two could try some different trees on the way back." Every once in a while, Lionheart would stop and carefully examine the surrounding trees. Eventually, he indicated a cluster of spruces with his tail. "Graypaw, Ravenpaw, try to climb up one of those ones. It will be different than the Great Sycamore. Make sure you step directly onto the branches, or you'll get a needle stuck in your paw."

Graypaw picked one tree, while Ravenpaw picked another slightly shorter one. He easily clawed his way up the rough bark to the first low circle of branches. Needles extended outward from the branch in clusters, and he stepped carefully to avoid them.

Suddenly, he heard a noise that didn't match the creaking of the branches. There was a rustling of feathers coming from an outer branch above him. He quietly scaled the tree to find the cause of the noise. It was more shaded in the foliage of the spruce than it was at the Great Sycamore, and he had to squint through the darkness to find the source of the sound. It was a crow.

Forgetting that he was a long way from the ground, he turned his focus to maintaining complete silence. He stalked toward to the crow, his claws digging into the rugged surface of the tree. The bird didn't seem to notice him. His own black fur seemed to be keeping him hidden as well as the crow had been moments earlier. He moved closer. He was three fox-lengths away, two fox-lengths away, one fox-length.

An alarm call suddenly pierced the air as the crow flapped its wings to take flight. Ravenpaw instinctively leaped sideways onto another branch, and the crow flew straight into him. Its frantic cawing was cut short when Ravenpaw bit down on its neck. Holding the lifeless bird in his jaws, he nearly toppled over from the weight of it, and he crouched, digging his claws into the bark. After he regained his balance, he carefully made his way down the spruce and back to where Lionheart and Tigerclaw were waiting.

A look of surprise crossed Tigerclaw's face when Ravenpaw padded over to meet him, the crow swinging from his jaws. "You caught that?" his mentor demanded. Ravenpaw nodded through a mouthful of feathers. Tigerclaw paused for a moment, seeming to be struggling with himself. "Well . . . good catch then." Tigerclaw scowled.

Ravenpaw blinked in shock. Tigerclaw had never praised him before. Graypaw looked at him, awe-struck.

"Good work, both of you," Lionheart meowed, his gaze warm. "Tigerclaw and I have a patrol to join. Return that prey to camp and hunt for the rest of the day. If you hunt as well as Ravenpaw did just now, the fresh-kill pile will be well stocked in no time." The two warriors turned and disappeared into the forest.

Graypaw and Ravenpaw set off to bring Ravenpaw's prey back to camp before they began their hunt.

Their pace slowed as the undergrowth thickened. As they walked together, Ravenpaw stopped for a moment to readjust his grip on the crow. Graypaw regarded the bird closely. "That is the biggest crow I have ever seen. And Lionheart told me a while back about how difficult they are to catch."

"It's an old one I think," Ravenpaw replied modestly. His voice was muffled through the crow's feathers.

"But still, even Tigerclaw was impressed! The Clan will be pleased when they see you add that to the fresh-kill pile."

Ravenpaw purred. For once, a training session with his mentor had gone well.


	10. Chapter 9

It rained lightly during the next night. Ravenpaw slept on and off; he was awoken several times by the occasional drip of water into the apprentices' den. Finally, he gave up on sleep, and fluffing out his sleek black fur, pushed his way out of the den and into the main clearing. He nodded a greeting at Whitestorm, who was talking with Bluestar across the camp. Ravenpaw groomed the dampness out of his fur as the sun began to rise behind the clouds.

While he lapped at his pelt, he contemplated the events of the previous evening.

When Ravenpaw and Graypaw had returned from their hunt, the camp had been buzzing. Sandpaw had intercepted them as they were settling down to eat next to the tree stump.

"You won't believe what happened today." Sandpaw had padded up behind them, dropping a large vole down in front of her.

"What?" Ravenpaw and Graypaw had meowed together.

"Yellowfang snapped at a kit! They were just playing and accidentally ran into her! Dustpaw and I saw it happen!"

"Oh." Ravenpaw had blinked, unsurprised.

The two kits had strayed from the nursery and tumbled into Yellowfang while they were playing, Sandpaw had explained, her tone betraying deep contempt for ThunderClan's prisoner. Truthfully, Ravenpaw wasn't at all shocked by Yellowfang's reaction. She clearly wasn't the type of cat that would brighten at the sound of mewling kits. But could there have been something more to it? He thought of the time only a few days before when she had been eyeing the kits irritably as they played. She had seemed angrier than usual when she saw them, but perhaps that was just because her leg had been in pain at the time.

Ravenpaw was shaken from his thoughts and back to the present when Bluestar walked toward him. "Ravenpaw," she meowed. "How are you doing this morning? I hope you were able to get some sleep with all the rain."

"It wasn't too bad," Ravenpaw replied, surprised to be directly addressed by his Clan leader. He tilted his head to the side, wondering what was coming next.

"I've asked Tigerclaw to assess the hunting skills of our apprentices today," Bluestar informed him. "You and Graypaw will meet him at the sandy hollow at sunhigh." Ravenpaw was filled with horror. A hunting assessment with Tigerclaw! How could he hunt if he knew Tigerclaw was watching him? "Are you ready?" Bluestar asked.

"I think so . . ." He scuffed his paws worriedly against the ground.

"There's no need to be nervous, Ravenpaw. You're making good progress in your training. Lionheart told me you caught a crow yesterday." Ravenpaw nodded as Bluestar continued. "I'm glad to see that having Tigerclaw as your mentor has helped you develop your hunting skills." She looked at him closely, and Ravenpaw felt her search his eyes. Did she suspect that the dark brown tabby warrior had anything to do with the death of her former deputy? He wondered if he should tell her. This was his chance. The only other cats out of their dens yet were One-Eye and Smallear, and they wouldn't be able to hear meowing halfway across the clearing. But he hesitated. _She'll never believe me._ He sat facing his Clan leader, cursing his own uncertainty.

"I'm sure I will hear good things about your assessment today," Bluestar went on. The moment had passed. "Now, go fetch your denmate and head to the training hollow. You wouldn't want to be late."

"Yes, Bluestar," Ravenpaw replied. Bluestar nodded warmly at him and then turned to pad toward the nursery. Ravenpaw sighed as he walked back. He hadn't realized that Bluestar had such a high view of his hunting skills. He wondered if perhaps she had just been trying to encourage him. Either way, he hoped he could live up to Bluestar's expectations.

As he returned to his den, he noticed that a small group of warriors had finally emerged from the warriors' den. Dustpaw and Sandpaw were also among them. Lionheart padded into the group and began to organize the day's patrols.

Graypaw had also left the apprentices' den. He was grooming his long fur, which had settled into clumps from the previous night's rain. Whitestorm stood next to him, meowing quietly. Graypaw nodded respectfully at the older warrior as Ravenpaw padded up to greet him.

"Graypaw, we have a hunting assessment today."

"I know, Whitestorm just told me," meowed Graypaw, flicking his tail toward the white warrior, who was trotting back to the center of the clearing. "Oh, don't worry Ravenpaw. You'll do fine," he added as Ravenpaw began to pace nervously.

"That's what Bluestar told me."

"See? Even Bluestar thinks you'll do well." Graypaw mewed supportively.

"What if she's just saying that? To make it so I think I'll do better so I don't get nervous?" Ravenpaw meowed. "And why does it have to be Tigerclaw doing the assessment?"

"Bluestar wouldn't do that. And Tigerclaw is your mentor, he'll want you to do well. He won't want to say terrible things about your hunting skills. It would reflect poorly on his training." Graypaw nudged Ravenpaw's shoulder. His reassurance didn't soothe Ravenpaw's anxiety.

A sudden, terrible thought occurred to Ravenpaw. What if his mentor tried to sabotage him? Ravenpaw shook his head. It wouldn't make sense for Tigerclaw to sabotage his own apprentice, yet he couldn't banish the thought from his mind.

Ravenpaw shook his fur out, ignoring Graypaw's encouragement. "Let's just go." He set off toward the gorse tunnel.

"Don't you think it's a bit early?" Graypaw called, running to catch up.

Ravenpaw looked back and shook his head. "We don't want to be late."

* * *

As Graypaw and Ravenpaw arrived at the sandy hollow, the air was beginning to dry out, although there was still a chill permeating the breeze. Ravenpaw paced the clearing nervously. He would have been more confident in his abilities today if it hadn't been Tigerclaw doing the assessment.

As though he had been summoned by Ravenpaw's thoughts, Tigerclaw burst into the clearing and Ravenpaw halted his pacing. His mentor nodded a greeting at him and Graypaw. "Lionheart and I have spent the last few moons trying to teach you how to hunt decently. Today you'll have the chance to show me how much you've learned. You both will take a different route and hunt as much prey as possible. Whatever you catch will be added to the fresh-kill pile back at camp." Ravenpaw shared a worried glance with Graypaw before Tigerclaw continued. "Ravenpaw, you will follow the trail beyond the Great Sycamore as far as the Snakerocks. That should be easy enough for your pitiful skills." Ravenpaw ignored his mentor's hostile tone, waiting anxiously to be dismissed.

"And Graypaw, you will take the route along the stream, as far as the Thunderpath." Tigerclaw stared at them, his pale eyes gleaming. "And remember, I will be watching both of you." Ravenpaw broke eye contact with Tigerclaw, spun around, and without a second glance at the other cats, raced into the forest.

He sped along the familiar trail that he had taken only a few days earlier to the Great Sycamore. He paused to sniff the air for prey, but there was nothing, and he continued along the path. Why had Tigerclaw chosen Snakerocks? There wasn't a lot of prey there because there were so many adders and other predators there. _I'll just catch as much as I can on the way there then,_ Ravenpaw told himself.

As he pressed on, the warm scent of prey hit the roof of his mouth. It was a mouse, and it was nearby. He stood still as a stone, not wanting to scare it away. From the scent of the mouse he could tell that he was nearly on top of it. Ravenpaw swiveled his ears, trying to listen for the pattering of paws. The surrounding undergrowth rustled, and a small mouse padded out into the open. Less than two tail-lengths away, it had somehow neither seen nor scented Ravenpaw. He sprang forward and landed directly on top of it, killing it instantly.

As he found a spot to store it to pick up on the way back, he appreciated his good luck. That had been a dumb mouse. If Tigerclaw had seen that he would have said it was a lucky catch. In a strange way Ravenpaw hoped that Tigerclaw _hadn't_ seen it for that reason. At least he wouldn't come back empty pawed if he didn't catch anything else.

As he continued through the forest, he didn't come across anymore prey. He soon had reached the smooth, sand colored rocks and slowed to a stop. Ravenpaw sniffed the air. He knew that in addition to prey, he needed to watch out for adders here.

Ravenpaw warily stepped onto the mound of rocks. Although he could scent prey here, he could also detect the bitter tang of predators. All it would take would be one wrong step near an adder's burrow and he would be dead.

The scent trail of a mouse was winding its way up the Snakerocks. Cautiously, Ravenpaw crept pawstep by pawstep up the rocks. Soon, he saw it, resting in the shade of a small overhang, nibbling at a seed. It glanced around, realizing that something was wrong. Ravenpaw saw it tense just as he bunched his muscles and sprang, dispatching it with a quick bite. Having caught the rodent, Ravenpaw bounded down to the edge of the Snakerocks to bury it.

The assessment was going reasonably well, he reflected. At this point Ravenpaw was confident that even if he only brought back the two pieces of prey, it would at least be enough to avoid ridicule from most of his Clanmates.

Feeling pleased, he began to pad back up the Snakerocks. He placed a paw on a smooth boulder and pushed himself onto it.

His blood ran cold.

An adder was staring directly at him.

In the heat of the moment Ravenpaw didn't have any time to be afraid. Barely aware of what he was doing, he dodged instinctively as the adder's head bolted in his direction. The snake's fangs hit empty air where he had been standing a moment before- he leaped around to deliver a killing bite to the back of its neck. It writhed wildly, and he clamped down on it, ignoring its foul taste. It gave one last twitch before it went limp.

Ravenpaw stumbled down to the base of Snakerocks and dropped the dead adder onto the ground. He stared at it in disbelief. He had just caught an _adder_. He had never even _heard_ of a cat catching an adder before.

Heart pounding, he decided to head back. It had been a long enough hunt, and his paws were trembling too much to stalk anything now anyway. Ravenpaw picked up the snake, and resolving to return for the mice later, began to make his way back to the sandy hollow. He progressed through the forest much slower than usual, since he kept tripping on the diamond-patterned body of the adder, and by the time he got back to the sandy hollow the sun was beginning to fall.

"Took you long enough." Tigerclaw was waiting impatiently in the sandy hollow when Ravenpaw stumbled through the bushes. His pale eyes widened in surprise for just a moment when he saw the adder Ravenpaw carried with him. His astonished expression left almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"Wow! An adder! Ravenpaw, what a catch!" Graypaw bounded forward to get a closer look. He sniffed up and down its diamond patterned body. "I've never seen one up close!"

Tigerclaw was silent as he moved forward to inspect the adder. After sniffing it nose to tail-tip, he stepped back. There was nothing bad he could say about this catch, Ravenpaw realized. He stifled the purr rising in his throat.

The dark tabby dismissed them, telling them to bring their fresh-kill to camp. Purring, Ravenpaw padded along with his tail held high. The two apprentices returned to where they had buried their prey, and together they carried their fresh-kill to camp. They wanted to impress the Clan by bringing in the huge load of prey all at once, but Ravenpaw had his paws full carrying the snake alone, so Graypaw had to carry back Ravenpaw's two mice as well, in addition to his own cache.

As he and Graypaw returned to camp with their catch, he was aware of his Clanmates surprised murmuring when they saw he had caught a snake. The two apprentices left the rest of their prey on the fresh-kill pile, besides a rabbit they picked out to share, and carried the snake to the apprentices' den. "Can you even eat adders?" Graypaw asked as they reached the tree stump.

Ravenpaw spat the snake onto the ground. "Well, it tastes pretty foul. I wouldn't want to eat it," he replied.

A thoughtful look crossed Graypaw's face. "We could give it to Yellowfang." They both mrrowed in amusement at that. "But really, there must be something." He paused, frowning. "Hey, let's make it so Dustpaw and Sandpaw will see it when they get back," Graypaw meowed, picking up the adder and placing it onto the tree stump. "There." Graypaw turned back to Ravenpaw, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. "I'll bet Dustpaw's never caught an adder."

Ravenpaw nodded in agreement, cheered by the thought that as much as his brother bragged about his hunting skills, he had never made such an unusual catch.

"I wonder when Sandpaw and Dustpaw will be assessed," Graypaw mewed speculatively. "I thought all the apprentices were going to be assessed today, but it's getting late already." He purred. "I can't wait to see their faces when they find out how much they have to catch to not get shown up by us." Out of nowhere, Graypaw playfully batted at Ravenpaw's shoulder. Ravenpaw swiped back.

Suddenly they were play fighting like kits. Graypaw responded to Ravenpaw's swipe with a tackle. Ravenpaw battered Graypaw's side with his hind paws, careful to keep his claws sheathed, but his denmate was bigger and stronger than him and was able to hold him down. Finally Ravenpaw managed to roll away and leap on top of Graypaw, who fell to the ground. Ravenpaw pinned him down, thinking that Graypaw had given up rather easily when the thick furred apprentice surged upwards, knocking him away.

Ravenpaw was so buoyed by the assessment that he didn't even care that he had lost. Panting, they settled back into eating the rabbit.

Ravenpaw kept on with Graypaw's earlier speculation as though nothing had happened. "Probably tomorrow. They were patrolling all day I think. And hunting for Yellowfang." He bent down to take a bite of the rabbit.

Yellowfang's sudden yowl jerked him out of his thoughts. Graypaw got up from their meal. "Speaking of Yellowfang, we should probably bring her some prey." He slowly crossed the camp to the fresh-kill pile, picked out a large squirrel, and carried it to where Yellowfang was sitting. The old she-cat spat crossly at him, although Ravenpaw was too far away to hear her words. Graypaw shrugged, and then casually padded back to the tree stump. "Anyway," Graypaw continued as though he hadn't been interrupted, "I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they get back. That was a really great catch, Ravenpaw. And at Snakerocks too! Are you going to finish that?" he asked abruptly when Ravenpaw stopped eating.

As Ravenpaw listened to Graypaw while waiting for his brother and Sandpaw to return, he felt a prickle of worry. Why _had_ Tigerclaw chosen Snakerocks? The place was by no means an easy hunting ground, with as many snakes and other predators as prey. Had his mentor been setting him up to fail? Or worse, had he been setting him up to be killed?


	11. Chapter 10

As the sun set on the night of the full moon, Ravenpaw and the rest of the apprentices waited for the Gathering patrol to be chosen. Ravenpaw, Graypaw, and Sandpaw were milling about by the apprentices' den, while Dustpaw sat a little ways off, meowing something in an undertone to Yellowfang. Ravenpaw shook his head. What Dustpaw saw in the mangy elder that made him want to talk to her so much, he had no idea.

Yellowfang narrowed her orange eyes at Ravenpaw, apparently noticing his stare. "What are you looking at?" He flattened his ears and ducked behind Graypaw and Sandpaw. Yellowfang's injuries had almost healed at this point; he didn't want to spur her into attacking.

"Ugh, why is he always mewing with that mange-pelt?" Sandpaw muttered. Raising her voice, she waved her tail. "Dustpaw, come over here! Bluestar is going to announce the attendees for the Gathering any time now."

Dustpaw meowed a quick goodbye to Yellowfang, and with an irritated tail flick joined Sandpaw next to the apprentices' den. Ravenpaw was about to comment when a hush fell over the clearing.

Bluestar padded to the center of the camp. "As you are all aware, there is a Gathering tonight. These are the cats that will be going: Lionheart, Tigerclaw, Whitestorm, Willowpelt..."

As she continued to list off names, Graypaw nudged him. "Do you think we'll get chosen?" he whispered in Ravenpaw's ear.

"Well, we've got to get picked soon. Sandpaw and Dustpaw have already gone twice." Ravenpaw tensed as he listened to the remaining names.

"...Darkstripe, Speckletail, Graypaw and Ravenpaw." Ravenpaw's tail curled up in surprise. He had finally been picked for a Gathering. He shared a delighted glance with Graypaw.

"We're going! We're finally going!"

"It was probably because we did so well on our assessments." Graypaw's tail was fluffed up in excitement.

Ravenpaw purred. At the beginning of the day, he had been so consumed by nerves that he hadn't even thought of the possibility of attending his first Gathering that night. Dustpaw and Sandpaw glared enviously at them from the apprentices' den.

Soon the cats Bluestar had chosen for the patrol had gathered by the camp entrance. With a flick of her tail, they set off toward Fourtrees. After the initial excitement of being chosen, Ravenpaw felt a nervous knot forming in his stomach. There would be many cats at the Gathering, and most of them would be strong warriors. He wanted to make a good impression on the rest of the Clans at his first Gathering.

They trotted through the forest at a quick pace and Ravenpaw realized that despite his nervousness, he also felt a sense of anticipation. This would be his first look at the cats outside of ThunderClan in a non-battle situation. He wondered how the other Clans would act, and hoped he would be able to represent ThunderClan well.

The patrol halted at the edge of the slope that led to Fourtrees. Ravenpaw peered down into the clearing and suppressed a gasp. The few times he'd seen Fourtrees before it had been completely empty. Now there were more cats there than he'd seen in his entire life. They loped confidently around the clearing, seeming to glow silver in the moonlight. The knot in his stomach tightened. "Great StarClan, look at all those cats!"

"Look, Ravenpaw!" Graypaw hissed from Ravenpaw's side. "There's Crookedstar, right there!" He pointed with his nose toward a huge pale tabby tom.

"How do you know that's him?"

"Look, his jaw!" Graypaw hissed back. Ravenpaw looked back at the tom and saw his twisted jaw, from which the RiverClan leader had received his name. Ravenpaw's scanned the crowd for other cats he might have heard of. A few cats away from the RiverClan leader there was a gray tom with a terribly scarred face who he thought must be Clawface of ShadowClan. And a short distance away from him was a long-haired dark brown tabby with a flattened face and a broken tail.

"Look, it's Brokenstar!" Ravenpaw mewed, excitement creeping into his voice. It was surreal to him that he was finally seeing these cats that he had only heard about. They continued to search the grassy clearing for well-known cats.

"Have you seen Tallstar?" Graypaw asked, not looking away from the crowd of cats below.

Ravenpaw scanned the clearing for any sign of the black and white WindClan leader. "No." He paused, and suddenly realized something. "I haven't scented any WindClan cats."

"WindClan might just be late," Lionheart meowed from behind the two apprentices.

"What if they don't show up at all?" Graypaw asked.

"Hush! Be patient," Lionheart meowed sternly, but Ravenpaw noticed that his eyes were glazed with concern. "These are difficult times. Now keep quiet. Bluestar will give the signal to move any moment now."

Ravenpaw looked toward Bluestar at the head of the patrol. She raised her tail and flicked it from one side to another. At the signal, the ThunderClan patrol moved forward as one, descending the slope and pausing at the edge of the clearing. After a moment Bluestar nodded, and the ThunderClan cats streamed into the Gathering.

The buzz of meowing hit Ravenpaw's ears when he stepped into the clearing. He resisted the urge to cower away from the unfamiliar warriors. _They're so much bigger than I am!_

A huge white tom with black paws strode past him, and Ravenpaw quickly padded over to stand in the shadow of the nearest ThunderClan warrior, which happened to be Lionheart. "I hope the meeting starts soon," Ravenpaw mewed to no one in particular. He was intimidated by all these powerful warriors loping around him.

Lionheart purred in amusement. "Already? We've only just arrived."

Whitestorm, who had padded up to meet Lionheart, turned to Ravenpaw to speak. "Be patient, young Ravenpaw. The sky is clear tonight so we have plenty of time."

Lionheart caught Ravenpaw's eye. "Go speak to some cats. You can use this chance to learn about the other Clans." The two older warriors padded unhesitatingly toward the crowd and disappeared into the mass of gathered cats. Bluestar passed them. Alongside her were Tigerclaw, and Darkstripe, who was following the dark brown tabby warrior like a shadow.

"Now what?" Graypaw muttered.

Ravenpaw glanced around. "I guess we should talk to someone."

"But who?"

The scent of other Clans was overwhelming. Ravenpaw and Graypaw stayed close to each other as they picked their way through the crowd of fierce warriors. After they passed a circle of ShadowClan and RiverClan cats, Graypaw scanned the crowd. "Well, I'm going to find where Lionheart went. You coming, Ravenpaw?"

"No thanks," he replied. "I'm going to find some of the other apprentices." He didn't think he could hold a conversation with any of these intimidating warriors.

"Okay, see you later." Graypaw turned and disappeared into the crowd of cats, and Ravenpaw started across the clearing alone.

Various powerful looking warriors were loping around the meeting area. Ravenpaw recognized a few of the RiverClan ones from the battle for Sunningrocks, although thankfully none of them seemed to recognize him.

He passed by Frostfur and Speckletail talking to a group of ShadowClan queens. They were meowing warmly to each other, and if Ravenpaw hadn't known them, he might have thought they were of the same Clan.

"I haven't seen you at a Gathering for a while now, Frostfur. Have you had your kits?"

"Yes," Frostfur was mewing. "My newest litter is doing well. They'll be eating solid prey soon. This is the first Gathering they're old enough for me to leave them."

"When my son was that age, he was-" Ravenpaw had passed them by before he could hear the rest of what the ShadowClan queen was saying.

Soon, he came upon a small group of young cats near the edge of the clearing.

Feeling as though he was plunging into an unknown body of water, he stepped forward before he could change his mind. "Hi. I'm Ravenpaw." The other apprentices turned toward him.

"You're of ThunderClan?" one of the ShadowClan apprentices asked. Ravenpaw nodded stiffly.

An older brown tabby apprentice stepped forward, or at least Ravenpaw thought he was older. He might have just been very large. Ravenpaw could tell from his scent that the apprentice was of RiverClan. "I'm Heavypaw. Hello there."

"Nice to meet you." Ravenpaw nodded at him, his nerves easing. The other apprentices mewed hellos and exchanged names with him, and then turned back to their conversation.

A ShadowClan apprentice named Brownpaw had begun to tell a story of how he had chased off a fox kit. "So it jumped, and when I pounced, it just turned tail and ran; I didn't even have to touch it once. I made up that move myself."

His Clanmate, Wetpaw, a small tabby tom, was nodding in agreement. "The other Clans had better watch out when you're a warrior."

Heavypaw rolled his eyes. "That move wouldn't work in a real battle," he meowed. "A cat would see it coming."

Brownpaw turned on Heavypaw. "What makes you the fighting expert?"

"Like you'd know," the RiverClan apprentice hissed. "I doubt any of us have even been in a real battle." The two apprentices glared at each other.

Ravenpaw shuffled his paws uncomfortably. "I have."

"Really?" An even smaller ShadowClan apprentice glowered at him disbelievingly. "Who'd you fight then?"

Ravenpaw hesitated before he answered. "RiverClan. In the battle for Sunningrocks." But instead of being angry, the tiny apprentice looked excited.

Brownpaw's gaze switched from challenging to curious as well. "You were at that battle?!" he meowed. The other apprentices broke off from their smaller conversations and formed a circle around Ravenpaw. "What happened? No one really talked about it . . ."

"Oakheart died in that battle," Heavypaw mewed darkly, although he still looked curious. "I never really heard what happened from a cat that was actually there before."

Another RiverClan apprentice spoke up. "Why don't you tell us?" Ravenpaw tensed. He did not want to relive that terrible day. But the apprentices were still asking him to tell the story.

"Yes, go on, Ravenpaw; tell us what happened!"

Ravenpaw shook his head.

"Come on, Ravenpaw!" another apprentice called. Ravenpaw hesitantly shuffled his paws. He looked up and saw Graypaw padding toward the group of apprentices. They shared a nod. He made up his mind. He could just tell the main part of the battle, before Redtail died. There couldn't be any harm in that. It _had_ been an exciting battle. He began his story.

"I-I was with the ThunderClan patrol at Sunningrocks that day." Ravenpaw paused nervously. "So, um, we padded out of the forest and saw the five RiverClan warriors at the Sunningrocks, led by Oakheart. There were only three of us though," he added, "myself, Tigerclaw, and Redtail. So anyway . . ."

Ravenpaw glanced at Graypaw sitting at the edge of the group, who blinked encouragingly. "Redtail told Oakheart to keep RiverClan warriors off Sunningrocks." Ravenpaw kept going, explaining the argument that had led to the border fight. _This isn't so bad._ The apprentices were staring at him, completely absorbed in his story. "Redtail responded to Oakheart's challenge: 'Any RiverClan warrior caught not respecting our borders will be killed,' he yowled. But Oakheart didn't back down. He gave the order to attack, and in that moment the clearing was filled with the screams of fighting cats. It was chaos. Redtail was weaving around the clearing, attacking with the speed of a LeopardClan cat. Suddenly, when I was least expecting it, a cat leaped onto my back!"

As he continued, Ravenpaw realized that he was starting to enjoy himself. His captive audience was gasping and yowling at all the right moments, and as they called out in response he found himself getting into more and more into the story.

"Soon, the battle moved onto Sunningrocks themselves. Fur was flying everywhere. Blood spattered the leaves of the bramble bushes, bright red against green. I'd just fought off a huge warrior and sent him squealing into the bushes when the ground shook, and I heard a warrior scream. It was Oakheart! Redtail raced past me, his mouth dripping blood and his fur torn. 'Oakheart is dead!' he howled. Then he rushed off to help Tigerclaw as he fought another warrior."

He continued, his audience completely entranced. "Finally, Redtail dragged the wailing cat off Tigerclaw by his tail and, with the strength of the whole of TigerClan, flung him into the bushes."

The apprentices' yowls turned into excited chattering when Ravenpaw finished. As they settled down, they began peppering him with questions. "What were Oakheart's dying words?" one of the ShadowClan apprentices asked.

"Well, I don't remember exactly," Ravenpaw meowed after thinking for a moment. "But he was challenging Redtail. He died a warrior's death."

"Is it true that Oakheart had never lost a battle before?"

"I have heard that as well. It's probably true. A RiverClan cat would know that better than I do though."

More questions from the enthusiastic apprentices came before a loud yowl signaled for silence.

_WindClan must have arrived,_ Ravenpaw thought. He turned along with the rest of the cats and looked up to the Great Rock, and realized that there were only three leaders on it, not four. Turning away from the Great Rock, he surveyed the clearing and was surprised when he still couldn't scent any WindClan cats.

Something was wrong. He could hear murmuring from the cats around him. He looked over to find that Heavypaw had settled himself next to him, and the other RiverClan apprentices.

"WindClan's leader isn't on the Great Rock," Heavypaw whispered. Ravenpaw flicked his ears in acknowledgement.

"Haven't you noticed?" mewed a RiverClan apprentice whose name he couldn't remember. "There isn't a single WindClan cat here."

Confused mews were rising from the crowd.

"We're starting without WindClan?"

"We've already waited the whole night."

"But how can we have a Gathering without one Clan?"

One voice yowled above the rest. "We can't start yet! Where are the WindClan representatives? We must wait until all the Clans are present."

From the top of the Great Rock, Bluestar padded to the front of the three leaders. "Cats of all Clans, welcome. It is true that WindClan is not present, but Brokenstar wishes to speak anyway."

Brokenstar walked forward. He gazed down at the crowd with orange eyes that sent chills down Ravenpaw's spine. "Friends, I come to speak to you tonight about the needs of ShadowClan-"

"Where is Tallstar?" a voice yowled above him.

"Where are the WindClan warriors?" another voice called.

"As the leader of ShadowClan, it is my right to address you here!" Brokenstar snarled, and the crowd fell silent. He began again. "We all know that the hard time of leaf bare, and late newleaf, have left us with little prey in our hunting grounds. But we also know that WindClan, RiverClan, and ThunderClan lost many kits in the freezing weather that came so late this newleaf. ShadowClan did not lose kits. We are hardened to the cold north wind. Our kits are stronger than yours from the moment they are born." Ravenpaw bristled. Who was this cat to insult ThunderClan? Brokenstar kept going. "And so we find ourselves with many mouths to feed, and too little prey to feed them.

"The needs of ShadowClan are simple," Brokenstar continued. "In order to survive, we must increase our hunting territory. That is why I insist that you allow ShadowClan warriors to hunt in your territories."

Outraged growls erupted from the mass of cats. Ravenpaw recognized Tigerclaw's furious snarl. "Share our hunting grounds?" For once, Ravenpaw agreed with him.

"It is unprecedented! The Clans have never shared hunting rights!" a RiverClan queen yowled.

"Should ShadowClan be punished because our kits thrive?" Brokenstar yowled over the protests of the crowd. As he continued Ravenpaw couldn't hear him as cats from RiverClan and ThunderClan called out in protest.

"So _our_ kits can starve then?" spat a RiverClan queen from the back. Ravenpaw noticed that the ShadowClan apprentices he had spoken to only moments earlier were slipping away from the RiverClan and ThunderClan cats, their eyes wide and nervous.

"You _must_ share what you have with us!" Brokenstar finished, yowls still splitting the air around them.

_"_ _Must!"_ Smallear spat from his spot with the elders.

"Must," Brokenstar growled back. "WindClan failed to understand this. In the end, we were forced to drive them out of their territory." Shocked yowls rose from the ThunderClan and RiverClan cats. Instead of waiting for them to stop, Brokenstar yowled above them. "And, if we have to, we will drive you all from your hunting grounds in order to feed our hungry kits."

A stunned silence hung over the clearing. Ravenpaw shivered, beginning to feel overwhelmed at the level of vitriol that seemed to pervade the air. He didn't know what he had expected the Gathering to be like, but it had certainly not been this.

Brokenstar's gaze searched the crowd for another moment. He began to speak again, and although the clearing was nearly silent, Ravenpaw couldn't hear him over the blood pounding in his ears. Brokenstar paused, his eyes sweeping over the gathered cats. "ShadowClan thrives while you all struggle," he meowed. "And there may come a time when you will need us to protect you."

Tigerclaw leaped to his paws. "You doubt our strength?" His eyes were narrowed, and his muscles rippled beneath his pelt. If he had been standing next to Brokenstar, Ravenpaw would have expected him to attack.

"I do not ask for you answer now," Brokenstar addressed the crowd. "You must each go away and consider my words. But bear this in mind: Would you prefer to share your prey, or be driven out and left homeless and starving?"

Ravenpaw shared a horrified glance with Heavypaw. How could this be happening?

He looked back to the Great Rock and suddenly noticed Crookedstar, who had not spoken the entire time. The large pale tabby tom had stepped forward to address the Clans. His voice was barely audible. "I have already agreed to allow ShadowClan some hunting rights in the river that runs through our territory."

The RiverClan cats turned to each other in horror. "We were not consulted!" called the outraged voice of an elderly tom.

"I can't believe it!" Heavypaw murmured, shaking his head in shock.

"I feel that this is best for our Clan. For all the Clans," Crookedstar responded, his eyes clouded with anxiety. "There are plenty of fish in the river. It is better to share our prey than to spill blood fighting over it." Ravenpaw blinked in confusion. How would ShadowClan even be able to hunt the fish? Wasn't that a RiverClan hunting method? He frowned. Ravenpaw supposed that ShadowClan had already shown that they were willing to adapt to the hunting on other Clans' territories in their bid for WindClan's hunting grounds.

"And what of ThunderClan?" Smallear asked, turning to the ThunderClan leader. "Bluestar? Have you, too, agreed to this outrageous demand?"

A shiver coursed through Ravenpaw's pelt as he waited for her answer. Would Bluestar give in to Brokenstar's threats? As soon as her voice rang clearly across Fourtrees he knew he shouldn't have worried. "I have made no agreement with Brokenstar except that I shall discuss his proposal with my Clan after the Gathering."

Ravenpaw bristled. Even though Bluestar hadn't agreed now, he doubted Brokenstar would take no for an answer. Heavypaw and the other RiverClan apprentices were huddled together, speaking in an undertone.

Brokenstar stood at the front of the leaders once again. "I also bring news that is important to the safety of your kits," Brokenstar called. "A ShadowClan cat has turned rogue and spurned the warrior code. We chased her out of our camp, but we do not know where she is now. She looks a mangy old creature, but she has a bite like TigerClan."

_Yellowfang,_ Ravenpaw realized with a jolt of horror. He looked around and saw his Clanmates murmuring to each other. They probably had the same idea.

"She is dangerous. I warn you-do not offer shelter to her. And"- Brokenstar paused-"until she is caught and killed, I urge you to keep a close eye on your kits."

The three leaders leaped down from the Great Rock one by one. The ShadowClan warriors formed a protective circle around their leader and left the meeting place, the elders and apprentices trailing close behind.

Ravenpaw looked over to say goodbye to the RiverClan apprentices, but they were already gone. The Gathering was breaking up.

Ravenpaw fluffed out his fur, his eyes wide. ShadowClan was trying to take over their territory! And if Brokenstar was telling the truth, Yellowfang was a danger to kits!

He searched the throng of cats, looking for a familiar gray face. "Graypaw!" Ravenpaw bounded through the cats to meet his friend.

Graypaw's normally cheerful amber eyes were clouded with worry. "Do you think it's her?"

Ravenpaw gave a tiny nod. "We have to get back to camp," he murmured, his eyes wide. Without seeing himself he guessed that the whites of his eyes were probably showing.

So much had just happened that he was having trouble taking it all in. He and Graypaw trotted together to the edge of the clearing, where the ThunderClan cats were gathering to begin the return trip to camp. They joined the elders, who were discussing Brokenstar's final warning. Smallear was meowing to Speckletail. "That must be Yellowfang he was talking about."

Speckletail flicked her ears nervously. "Well, she did snap at Goldenflower's youngest kit the other day."

"And we've left her behind, with the camp virtually unguarded!" the elderly One-Eye wailed.

Ravenpaw bristled as the ThunderClan patrol broke into a run and set off to return to camp. He would never have guessed this was how his first Gathering would end.


	12. Chapter 11

The cats burst into the camp. Frostfur immediately raced across the camp to the nursery. Bluestar bounded to the top to the Highrock, while Tigerclaw and Darkstripe crossed the camp with purpose, heading directly toward the fallen oak.

"What do you think will happen to Yellowfang?" Graypaw meowed in Ravenpaw's ear.

"I don't know." Ravenpaw was still not comfortable with the acerbic old she-cat, but was she really capable of hurting kits? The image of Yellowfang's vicious gaze flashed in his mind's eye. _Yes._

He and his friend looked up at the Highrock, waiting for Bluestar to start the Clan meeting. Ravenpaw kneaded his paws on the ground. The cats all around him were pacing and he hoped they would soon settle down to calmly discuss the events of the Gathering.

He spun around as a sharp shriek pierced the camp. Tigerclaw and Darkstripe had confronted Yellowfang. Snarling furiously, Tigerclaw dragged the elderly she cat to the Highrock by her scruff, with Darkstripe close behind.

"What is going on?" Bluestar growled, leaping down from the Highrock. "I gave no order to attack our prisoner."

At the sound of the commotion, Dustpaw and Sandpaw emerged from the apprentices' den. Ravenpaw saw his brother look around, and then bristle when he saw Yellowfang on the ground next to Darkstripe and Tigerclaw. Confusion clouded Dustpaw's face as he bounded across the camp to Yellowfang's side.

"What are you doing?!" Dustpaw asked the surrounding cats. But Frostfur had returned from the nursery before any cat could respond.

"We got back in time. The kits are safe," Frostfur announced to the Clan.

Bluestar lashed her tail irritably. "Of course they are!"

"But. . ." Frostfur stared, appearing bewildered, "you _are_ going to throw Yellowfang out, aren't you?"

"Throw her out? We should kill her now!" Darkstripe snarled. Dustpaw looked back and forth between his mentor and Yellowfang, his eyes wide.

"What? Kill Yellowfang?!" Dustpaw gasped, his eyes wide with shock. "What in the name of StarClan happened at this Gathering?" Bluestar looked as though she was about to speak when a crescendo of yowls rose from the ThunderClan cats.

"Brokenstar said one of their cats left ShadowClan to live as a rogue!" Darkstripe explained to his apprentice.

"He said she was a danger to kits!" Longtail put in.

"So it must be Yellowfang!" Speckletail finished. In the rising frenzy, the cats didn't seem to notice Bluestar's objections. The cats circled around Yellowfang, hissing menacingly.

"Stop!" Bluestar's furious yowl radiated through the camp. Bluestar leaped through the crowd to stand between them and Yellowfang, and the cats that had been advancing on the elderly she-cat stopped dead in their tracks. "Did you not hear me before?! You are not to attack this cat!"

The cats stood frozen; Bluestar blocking the way to Yellowfang, with Darkstripe, Speckletail, Longtail and Tigerclaw in position where they had been about to attack. Yellowfang crouched behind Bluestar, her orange eyes flitting back and forth between ThunderClan's leader and the surrounding cats, while Dustpaw looked on in surprise at the sudden turn of events. A long silence spread through the camp.

Finally, Speckletail dared to speak: "But, Bluestar, she _must_ have been the cat Brokenstar was speaking of . . ."

"And how do we know that?" Bluestar's meow was slow and deliberate. She closed her eyes and flattened her fur; she seemed to be trying to calm herself. "He did not mention her by name. She has done nothing wrong. And as long as Yellowfang is in my Clan, she will not be harmed in any way." She rested her warning gaze on each of the attacking cats.

Yellowfang's mew broke through the silence. "I can leave, Bluestar. This Clan has done enough for me."

"No. You have done nothing wrong. We cannot allow the ramblings of a treacherous ShadowClan leader to make decisions for ThunderClan." Murmurs of agreement rippled through the camp. "Now," she meowed as she leaped back up onto the Highrock, "we must discuss the real threat to our Clan: Brokenstar. We have already been preparing for an attack by ShadowClan by reinforcing the camp. In addition to those preparations, we will patrol our borders more frequently. ShadowClan has driven out WindClan, and has intimidated RiverClan into giving up its own prey." Her eyes gained a steely glint. "ThunderClan will not give in so easily." Defiant yowls began to spread through the camp. Tigerclaw was nodding approvingly.

Sandpaw's voice cried above the rest. "If ShadowClan wants our territory, they'll have to fight us for it first!" The cats of ThunderClan caterwauled as one in response to her cry.

When the cheering died down, Bluestar continued. "I will travel to the Moonstone tomorrow. StarClan will give me the strength I need to lead ThunderClan through this dark time. Lionheart, I wish to speak with you." She leaped down from the Highrock and beckoned the golden tabby deputy to join her.

Murmurs continued to spread through the camp as the cats broke off into small groups.

Graypaw stood up from Ravenpaw's side. "Well, that was an eventful Clan meeting!"

"And Gathering!" Ravenpaw agreed. "Can you believe that of all nights to have our first Gathering, we got this one?" He slowly breathed out, his heart still pounding. Ravenpaw looked across the camp at the apprentices' den. Sandpaw was staring at him and Graypaw, her tail twitching impatiently.

Graypaw must have noticed her as well. "I'll bet Sandpaw wants us to tell her about it!" Graypaw bounded across the camp, leaving Ravenpaw behind. Ravenpaw walked at a slower pace. After all the excitement of the night he was looking forward to a good, long nap.

Yellowfang and Dustpaw were still sitting next to each other at the center of the camp. As Ravenpaw crossed paths with his brother, the brown tabby apprentice turned to Yellowfang, his yellow eyes round with concern. "Did they aggravate your injury?"

Yellowfang seemed to have recovered her sarcastic wit when the ThunderClan cats dispersed. "How touching that you care," she drawled.

Dustpaw narrowed his eyes. "I don't," he meowed harshly. "I just wanted to know if I was going to have to carry you back to your den, that's all."

"I'll be fine, _Voleleg_." A look passed between them that Ravenpaw thought wasn't entirely loathing. "Just get me some poppy seeds so I can sleep tonight," Yellowfang called over her shoulder. She limped back to the fallen oak.

Ravenpaw padded away from them. As he passed by the warriors den, he noticed a shadow looming over him. He spun around and found himself face to face with Tigerclaw.

The dark brown tabby warrior towered over him. "I know what you did." There was a wild gleam in his eyes that made Ravenpaw's blood run cold.

Ravenpaw backed away. "W-What? What are you talking about?"

"I know what you did," Tigerclaw repeated. "I saw you telling those apprentices about the battle at Sunningrocks. You thought that was a pretty good story, didn't you? You're a good storyteller, aren't you, Ravenpaw?"

Terrified, Ravenpaw shrank away from his mentor, eyes wide.

Tigerclaw continued, his voice a low growl. "If you think anyone's going to believe your little stories, you're mistaken. If I were you, I'd watch out who I told them too. I wouldn't want you to get in trouble-" he paused, baring his teeth threateningly "-just because you couldn't keep your mouth shut."

Ravenpaw whirled around and raced away, the camp blurring before his eyes. He didn't stop until he was inside the apprentices' den. Breathing heavily, he settled into his nest. Ravenpaw's heart pounded in his ears. In the rush of the Gathering, Ravenpaw hadn't even thought about the possibility that Tigerclaw would overhear his story. It was inconsistent with Tigerclaw's account of the battle, and if he knew Ravenpaw knew about that . . .

When the other apprentices joined him in his den, he pretended to be asleep. Pure terror pulsed through him. If Tigerclaw hadn't known Ravenpaw had seen him murder Redtail before, he certainly knew now.

* * *

"Ravenpaw, wake up!" Graypaw was shaking him.

Ravenpaw jumped to his feet, bristling. "What?! What's the matter?!"

"We're going to the Moonstone!"

"What?" Ravenpaw blinked, utterly confused.

Graypaw meowed more slowly this time. "Bluestar's going to the Moonstone to speak to StarClan. She wants us to make the journey with her."

"Just us?" Ravenpaw's fur was beginning to lie flat again now that it was clear that Graypaw had woken him out of excitement, not fear.

"No, Tigerclaw's coming as well," Graypaw replied. Ravenpaw's heart plummeted. Graypaw continued without pause. "Can you believe it? We've been chosen to go to the Moonstone. What an honor!"

But Ravenpaw had stopped listening as soon as he heard Tigerclaw's name mentioned. Why was it that he could never escape his mentor, even in doing things that didn't require a mentor be present? He had never wanted to avoid Tigerclaw as much as he did now. _Why, oh why did I have to tell that story?_

"Come on, we have to get our traveling herbs. Bluestar and Tigerclaw are waiting." Graypaw's mew shook Ravenpaw from his dark thoughts, and he pushed his way out of the den. The camp was silent as they walked across it, and the first light of dawn was just barely shining through the trees.

They found Bluestar and Tigerclaw sitting by the medicine den next to two leaf wraps, which Ravenpaw guessed were their traveling herbs. Ravenpaw and Graypaw quickly scarfed them down, and Ravenpaw immediately suppressed a gag. The herbs were the worst thing he'd ever tasted, even worse than the herbs he'd taken for greencough as a kit. He licked his muzzle, trying to get rid of the taste.

"Disgusting!" Graypaw spat, his face contorted. Ravenpaw noticed Bluestar's whiskers twitch in amusement at their reactions.

"We should be going. We have a long journey ahead of us." Bluestar flicked her tail and led the group out of the camp. Ravenpaw thought of the previous night and anticipated Tigerclaw's glare as he passed by, but his mentor brushed past him as though nothing had happened.

As they reached the outside of the gorse tunnel, Lionheart padded up to them. "Safe journey," Lionheart meowed, sharing a respectful nod with Bluestar.

"I know I can trust you to keep the camp safe," Bluestar replied.

Lionheart turned to Graypaw. "Remember, you are almost a warrior," the golden tabby deputy mewed. "Don't forget what I have taught you."

"I will always remember, Lionheart." Graypaw nudged his mentor's flank affectionately. Lionheart and Graypaw shared a close bond, Ravenpaw reflected enviously. As Lionheart's golden tail tip disappeared into the gorse tunnel, Ravenpaw suppressed a sigh, wishing that he had a mentor that cared that much about him.

As they sped through the forest, Ravenpaw was filled with anxiety. When he told his story at the Gathering, he had implied that Oakheart had been killed by Redtail. But Tigerclaw had claimed that Redtail had been killed by Oakheart and that he had killed Oakheart in revenge. Had any of the other cats at the Gathering noticed?

_Don't think about it. Just keep walking._

But as much as he tried he couldn't stop.

They passed through Fourtrees, which looked much more peaceful than it did the previous night. Bluestar warned them to keep a lookout for ShadowClan. Ravenpaw glanced at Tigerclaw. His expression was unreadable.

Feeling as if he was leaping off the edge of all that he had ever known, Ravenpaw took his first step out of ThunderClan territory.


	13. Chapter 12

The journey kept the four cats busy. Ravenpaw was thankful for the roughness of the terrain; it meant they didn't have time to talk. His black pelt seemed to absorb the heat of the sun more than the others. He didn't know how WindClan cats could stand the sun constantly beating down on them like this. He felt like he was on fire.

As they crossed the moor the wind clawed at his pelt, ruffling it in the wrong direction. Ravenpaw kept his eyes fixed straight ahead. His mind was not on the journey.

He noticed Tigerclaw occasionally glancing back at him. Ravenpaw tried to position himself behind Graypaw, away from his mentor. He flicked his ears, twisting them backward nervously. _Why did I have to open my big mouth? Why did I tell them that story?_ He had let his guard down.

His tail flicked worriedly as he thought back to the Gathering. He hadn't even thought of the possibility that Tigerclaw would overhear his story. He was just trying to entertain the apprentices, but now he realized that his story wasn't the same as what Tigerclaw told the Clan. Tigerclaw's place in the Clan would be in jeopardy if any cat put it together, so his furious reaction made sense.

Ravenpaw anxiously swished his tail back and forth. Maybe Tigerclaw had thought Ravenpaw had put the battle behind him, and they could have continued their silent impasse, but there was no hope of that now. After the Gathering, Ravenpaw was almost certain that Tigerclaw would take action.

The journey across WindClan territory passed quickly with Ravenpaw so distracted. At one point they nearly collided with an enemy patrol. Tigerclaw had been the first to notice, and he had stopped the group with a sharp hiss. Ravenpaw and the others had paused and sniffed the air.

"They're upwind," Bluestar had mewed softly, turning her head to survey her surroundings. "They won't detect us if we keep moving. But we must hurry."

She had then set a quick pace through the moor, and the group crashed through the remainder of the territory. Ravenpaw had checked the area constantly for ShadowClan warriors as they raced across the moorland. Finally, the scent of ShadowClan, as well as WindClan, began to fade. They had reached the edge of WindClan territory.

Now a new landscape opened up in front of them. Twoleg nests covered the land just outside of WindClan's territory and the familiar cat scents were replaced by unfamiliar ones. Ravenpaw wrinkled his nose as he became aware of a burning smell he had only detected before by the ShadowClan border. _We must be near the Thunderpath,_ he realized _._ He scanned the landscape for the familiar gray path. Sure enough, the Thunderpath was directly ahead of them, past the circle of Twoleg nests.

"Be alert as we pass by these nests," Bluestar warned the apprentices as they entered Twoleg territory. "Most of the time they're harmless, but Twolegs can be unpredictable."

Ravenpaw tensed as they passed a Twoleg nest with a fence. He could smell dog all around them. Suddenly a sharp barking sound filled the air. Ravenpaw unsheathed his claws, arching his back.

Tigerclaw peered through a gap in the fence. "They're tied up," he mewed. "They can't reach us." Tigerclaw and Bluestar calmly herded the two apprentices past the fence, and soon the barking of the dog faded into the general background noise of the territory.

They reached the Thunderpath shortly after that. The cats took shelter beneath a hedge. Gleaming monsters pelted by them, moving so fast that their huge, black paws were a blur. Horrified, Ravenpaw's eyes widened. They had to cross that?!

"We'll go one at a time." Tigerclaw turned to his apprentice. "Ravenpaw, you first."

Ravenpaw bristled, but before he could even think of where to start Bluestar meowed: "No, Tigerclaw, I'll go first. Don't forget, this is the first time of crossing for these two. Let them see how it's done."

She padded up to the edge of the Thunderpath. She stood serenely, in stark contrast to the wild snarling of the monsters. Finally, the rush of monsters paused, and without a moment's hesitation, Bluestar sprinted across the path.

As soon as she reached the other side, Tigerclaw nudged his apprentice forward. "Off you go, Ravenpaw; now you've seen how it's done."

Ravenpaw tried to stop shaking as he observed the Thunderpath. There were no monsters in sight, but he hesitated.

"Hurry up!" Tigerclaw hissed from behind him. Ravenpaw braced himself to pelt across when the low growling filled the air. A monster sped by. He raced onto the path immediately after it had gone, but realized that he could still hear roaring. Another monster was speeding toward him from the other direction! Without thinking, he shot across the remaining distance of the Thunderpath, narrowly avoiding the monster.

"Good job, Ravenpaw," Bluestar mewed as he joined her. He shakily sat by her side as he calmed himself while they waited for Graypaw and Tigerclaw. Ravenpaw almost thought he could see a flicker of disappointment in Tigerclaw's eyes when he reached them, and he wondered if Tigerclaw had been hoping that he would be struck. Tigerclaw _had_ seemed very insistent that Ravenpaw cross even though the timing wasn't right.

* * *

The outline of Highstones was soon visible. The landscape here was rougher and rockier than the one they had left in Twoleg territory. Ravenpaw thought it was also quite a bit redder, but he guessed that might be a trick of the light.

Bluestar settled herself on a smooth boulder. "Now we must wait. There is plenty of time to hunt yet before the moon rises."

Both apprentices headed off to find prey. Ravenpaw wasn't able to catch anything despite the hunger pricking his belly urging him on. Upon seeing Ravenpaw come back empty pawed, Tigerclaw snorted. "Typical," he muttered under his breath.

"Here," Graypaw mewed, sliding a mouse toward Ravenpaw with his paw. "We can share." Ravenpaw blinked gratefully and began to devour their meal.

Settling themselves onto their haunches, they waited as the sun set and the moon rose.

Finally, Bluestar got up. "It is time." They followed Bluestar up the mound of rocks, where they came upon a large burrow. _Not a burrow,_ Ravenpaw corrected himself. _A cave. Mothermouth._ He looked into the tunnel, trying to see how far it went, but just a few tail-lengths inside it was pitch black.

Bluestar padded forward toward Mothermouth. She turned to look at the apprentices. "Ravenpaw, Graypaw, you will guard the entrance to the cave. Tigerclaw, you will accompany me to the Moonstone." Tigerclaw said nothing, but gave a small nod in acknowledgement. He followed Bluestar into the cave, and soon both he and Bluestar were swallowed by darkness.

Ravenpaw squinted after them into the shadows. He almost thought he could smell fear in their wake, but he must have been imagining it. Shuddering, he looked away from the cavern, unable to understand why StarClan would choose such a dark place to reveal its wisdom. Tucking his paws underneath his body, he prepared himself for a long night.

The two apprentices sat in silence for a long time. Ravenpaw looked up at the growing light of Silverpelt, and his thoughts once again turned to the death of Redtail. He tried to imagine what his warrior ancestors thought of the former deputy's murder. Was Redtail looking down on him, wondering why he hadn't revealed the truth? Was StarClan angry with him for not telling, or did they even care at all?

He curled himself into a ball. _I'm sorry, StarClan._ _I'm sorry I'm such a coward. Redtail deserved better than this._ _  
_

Graypaw's voice woke him from his thoughts. "Ravenpaw. Ravenpaw, are you awake?"

Ravenpaw blinked, sitting up. "What?"

"I was saying," Graypaw meowed, "did you notice how small some of the ShadowClan apprentices looked at the Gathering?"

It took a moment to register the question. Ravenpaw finally answered after a few heartbeats. "They seemed normal to me."

Graypaw gave him an incredulous look. "Really? I was twice the size of maybe half of them! I could have swatted them aside with one paw!"

"Now that you mention it, I did see a few that were a bit on the small side." Ravenpaw had been more focused on telling them about the battle with RiverClan than looking at them closely, but now that he thought about it, many of the ShadowClan apprentices he had spoken to were quite small, and their voices had squeaked like kits.

"It was odd. Maybe they were bringing as many cats as possible to appear strong, so they ended up bringing even the youngest apprentices." Graypaw shrugged.

The two apprentices lapsed into another companionable silence. Ravenpaw looked around, taking in their surroundings from one horizon to the other. The land here was so different from ThunderClan territory: the steep rocky hills instead of trees, the piles of boulders that shone in the moonlight instead of undergrowth. The creepy cave entrance... Ravenpaw dragged his gaze away from the seemingly endless darkness. His fur stood on end.

Observing the unfamiliar landscape, a strange thought popped into Ravenpaw's head. What would it be like to live outside the forests of his Clan? Ravenpaw wished he could escape Tigerclaw's cruelty, but he knew he would never be able to leave ThunderClan. Would he?

Ravenpaw shifted on his paws, still surveying their unusual surroundings. "Graypaw," he meowed, abruptly breaking their silence, "do you ever think about what it would be like to live somewhere else?"

"What do you mean?" Graypaw replied sharply. "Like another Clan?"

Ravenpaw shook his head hastily. "No, just somewhere different." He paused, gazing at the wide open space around him. "Like here."

Graypaw narrowed his eyes, puzzled. "Why would you want to live here?"

"I don't," Ravenpaw replied, shuddering. "Great StarClan, no. This place gives me the creeps. I meant some other place, in general."

"I dunno." Graypaw shrugged. "I've never really thought about it." He lowered his head to rest it on his paws. "I wouldn't want to, I suppose. I mean, what do you think rogues and loners do all day? Just hunt for themselves? Patrol their territory borders alone? Cats outside Clans can't be warriors and . . ." he trailed off, and then looked up, his amber eyes shining. "I can't imagine not being a warrior."

Ravenpaw grunted in response.

Graypaw looked at him carefully. "What's the matter?"

"It's just- do you think I'm cut out to be a warrior?" Ravenpaw blurted out.

Graypaw turned to him, his amber eyes glowing in the moonlight. "Why would you say that? Of course you are! You have warrior blood!"

Ravenpaw looked at the ground. "Sometimes I'm not so sure."

Graypaw was struggling to come up with an answer when without warning, Tigerclaw burst out of the cave. Startled, both apprentices leaped to their paws, fur bristling.

"Have you been guarding the entrance?" the dark tabby asked.

Ravenpaw nodded.

"It doesn't look like it to me; you were lying down!" Tigerclaw's fur was standing up, and he looked on edge.

"There's nothing out here," Graypaw protested. "No cats, no predators."

The dark tabby let out a long sigh, his fur standing up. "Fine." Tigerclaw peered at the horizon. "Hopefully Bluestar will be done soon so we can leave this place." Ravenpaw's tail twitched. Even Tigerclaw thought Mothermouth was creepy.

The three cats waited silently as the moon set, their conversation silenced by the presence of the older warrior.

Finally, after the moon had slid behind the clouds and shadows fell across the landscape, Bluestar emerged from Mothermouth. Ravenpaw immediately realized something was wrong when he saw her grave expression.

"Tigerclaw." Bluestar met Tigerclaw's gaze and the two shared a nod.

The dark tabby warrior seemed tense as he met her eyes. "Has StarClan spoken to you?"

"Yes, they have." Bluestar brushed past the three other cats, flicking her tail at them to follow. "Come quickly. We must leave at once!"


	14. Chapter 13

Bluestar set a blistering pace and Ravenpaw found himself lagging behind. "Keep up, Ravenpaw!" Tigerclaw called. Ravenpaw winced and bounded back to the group. His paws were still sore from the long trek the previous day and he was looking forward to getting a full night's rest when they got home.

A deep ditch appeared in front of them, and Ravenpaw trailed behind Graypaw as they bounded down and then back up to level ground.

"Great StarClan, can't we slow down?" Graypaw whispered in his ear. "Why are they in such a rush? We could at least stop to eat or something; I'm starving." Ravenpaw was about to respond when Tigerclaw shot a sharp glance back at him, and he quickened his pace as he loped alongside Graypaw.

The sun was beginning to rise. Finally, after the light of the moon had faded and the first light of dawn flickered in the sky, they reached the Twolegplace again.

Ravenpaw squinted ahead, making out the shapes of Bluestar and Tigerclaw, padding side by side as they approached the Twoleg nest with the dogs that they had passed earlier.

He suddenly realized they had stopped. A black and white cat was padding out from the fence to meet them. Tensing, Ravenpaw prepared himself to fight, but then he realized that the posture of the stranger was non-threatening. He could tell from the relaxed slope of Bluestar's shoulders that she wasn't concerned about the tom's presence either.

The tom was meowing a greeting when Ravenpaw and Graypaw padded up.

"Hello Barley," Bluestar replied dipping her head. She turned to Ravenpaw and Graypaw as they joined the group. "Ravenpaw, Graypaw, this is Barley. He lives in a barn near this Twoleg nest."

"Nice to meet you. How are you, Bluestar?" Barley asked, turning back to the gray ThunderClan leader. "You seem in a bit of a hurry today. Is everything alright?"

Ravenpaw looked at Bluestar, wondering how she would respond to the tom's unguarded curiosity. "All is well," she replied. "I just don't like to be away from my Clan for too long."

Barley nodded, but before he could say anything Tigerclaw's growl interrupted him. "What is it you want, Barley?"

Barley narrowed his eyes, his warm expression turning sour at Tigerclaw's mew. "I just wanted to warn you that there are dogs living at this nest now. It would be safer for you to go back into the cornfield instead of past the yard."

"We know about the dogs," meowed Tigerclaw. "We saw them earlier-"

"Thank you for the warning, Barley," Bluestar meowed before he could finish. "It is good to see you're doing well. Until next time . . ."

"Have a safe journey," Barley meowed, trotting back in the direction he came from.

Bluestar flicked her tail. "This way," she mewed, leading the back to the path along the cornfield.

As they followed the path, Ravenpaw wondered what it would be like to live as a loner, with no Clan to look out for you. What kind of life would that be? His thoughts drifted back to his conversation with Graypaw the previous night. He could never live like that.

Could he?

They continued on.

The dirt track opened up before them, and the group trotted quickly as the sun rose even higher. Ravenpaw breathed in to taste the air and a strange smell filled his scent glands. Confused at the cause of the bitter tasting breeze, he scanned his surroundings. Ravenpaw was about to call out to his Clanmates when he suddenly felt a stabbing pain in his hind leg. He looked down to see a large brown animal grasping his leg by its teeth. His momentary confusion turned to horror. He was being pulled into the ditch! He struggled, frantically trying to dig into the ground with his claws. Ears roaring, Ravenpaw barely heard Tigerclaw's yowl. "Rats! Barley has sent us into a trap!"

In a wave of shrill squeaks, the rats raced from the ditch and converged on the four cats. They were huge and brown and their tails thrashed like small furious snakes.

Ravenpaw found himself surrounded. They were everywhere! He clawed blindly as rats leaped toward him from every direction. One rat buried its teeth in his tail. Ravenpaw twisted around wildly, and managed to shake free. He screeched as he felt one dig into his shoulder. He whipped around again, but was unable to shake this one off so easily. He frantically hacked at it with his hind claws, and with a snarl flung it away. It disappeared into the swarm of rats before Ravenpaw could deliver a killing bite, but before he could think about going after it, two more rats had attached themselves to his hind legs, and as he swung his claws at them, another rat leaped onto his back.

Ravenpaw looked toward the ditch to see a large mass of rats, and realized with a pang of horror that Bluestar was underneath them. But there was nothing he could do now. He was completely surrounded himself.

He tried rolling on the ground to crush them, and with a shrill squeal one on his back released its grip. But there were still more and more rats piling onto him. He was having trouble telling where rats were biting him and where he had been wounded previously. Two rats had embedded themselves into his tail, and he could feel blood trickling from a new bite in his neck. The rats had collectively tackled him to the ground. He writhed wildly, but was unable to escape their grip. _Is this how it ends?_

Suddenly, he realized that there were fewer rats than before. A black and white cat was fiercely biting and clawing the rats from where they had embedded their teeth into him. It was Barley!

The black and white tom expertly grasped them in his teeth and flung them away one by one. Ravenpaw struggled to his paws as soon as all the weight was lifted off him.

"Thank you," he gasped.

Barley nodded and disappeared back into the fray. The swarm of rats was thinning out even more now with the arrival of another cat. The black and white loner was flicking rats off the ThunderClan cats, moving from one cat to the next, grasping the vicious creatures in his teeth and claws as though he had been doing this his entire life. Filled with a sudden jolt of energy, Ravenpaw bit and slashed a path through the crowd of rats, and scrambled away from the side of the ditch. Barley looked up to give him an approving nod.

Tigerclaw still had two rats attached to his tail and was still fiercely swinging his paws to crush them, and Graypaw, who had fallen midway down the side of the ditch, clambered up the steep slope and collapsed at Ravenpaw's side, panting.

Ravenpaw looked down to see Barley in the center of the swarm. There were fewer rats than before, but more of them seemed to have congregated on Bluestar. Barley was making progress on thinning the group of rats, and with a final pawstrike, the last of them dispersed from the path. The dirt track was empty now, except for Barley, and Bluestar, who was lying motionless.

Ravenpaw called out to his Clan leader. "Bluestar!"

Graypaw and Ravenpaw limped to their leader's side. Her pelt was ragged and marked with scratches. Blood dripping from a nasty looking wound on the back of her neck. Ravenpaw saw that her blue eyes were slightly open, but unseeing, and he backpedaled in horror. She was dead.

"You!" Tigerclaw snarled from across the path. Ravenpaw whipped around to see Tigerclaw pinning Barley to the ground. "You led us here! You sent us into a trap!"

"No!" the black and white loner gasped, scrabbling against Tigerclaw's strength to break free. "This shouldn't have happened! I didn't know about the rats!"

"Why did you send us this way?"

"The dogs!"

"They were tied up when we passed them earlier!" yowled Tigerclaw.

"The Twoleg unties them at night. They guard his nest." Barley continued to struggle against Tigerclaw's massive paws holding him down.

"You know what I think?" Tigerclaw hissed after a moment. Barley froze underneath the warrior's claws, his eyes wide. "I think you wanted us dead. You probably don't like other cats knowing your territory since you're the only one who can defend it, being a loner and all."

"No! That's not true!" Barley frantically swiped at the huge dark brown tabby tom, but it made no difference; Tigerclaw was immovable with his great strength. "I didn't mean for this to happen," he wheezed, struggling to breathe as Tigerclaw's paw pressed against his throat. "I swear it! I heard-" he gasped- "yowling and I-" he struggled for another breath- "came here to help you." Barley and Tigerclaw stared at each other for a long moment. Finally, perhaps because he noticed Ravenpaw's and Graypaw's horrified stares, Tigerclaw sheathed his claws and let his paws slide to the ground, allowing Barley to slip out of his grasp.

Upon letting go of Barley, Tigerclaw noticed their Clan leader's body and bounded to her side.

"Is she dead?" Ravenpaw whispered.

Tigerclaw shook his head, his expression unreadable. "She is losing a life."

"It can't be her last though, can it?" Graypaw's eyes were round with fear.

"We must wait and see. She is in the paws of StarClan now," meowed Tigerclaw. The cats crouched at their leader's side in silent vigil. Ravenpaw wondered why the ground was shaking, and then realized that it was his paws. He couldn't imagine ThunderClan without Bluestar as its leader. As dawn slowly turned to day, Ravenpaw prayed to StarClan that Bluestar would return to them, that her wounds weren't too severe.

Ravenpaw was shaken out of his silent prayer by Graypaw's voice. "Bluestar!" the gray tom gasped, leaping to his paws. "You're alive!"

"Yes," Bluestar rasped. "I am still here. I have lost a life, but it wasn't my ninth." Ravenpaw purred, his pelt flattening with relief. _Thank you StarClan,_ he thought fervently.

"Right." Tigerclaw was immediately ready to get back to business. "Ravenpaw, fetch cobwebs for Bluestar's wounds. Graypaw find marigold or horsetail." As Ravenpaw began to race away, Tigerclaw turned to Barley. "Barley, I think you should leave us now." Ravenpaw was taken aback. It seemed wrong to him that the cat that had saved their lives was being sent away without acknowledgement.

As Ravenpaw approached a gorse bush to gather cobwebs, Barley padded wordlessly past him. Realizing that they were hidden from Tigerclaw's view, Ravenpaw resolved to thank him. "Wait," he meowed quietly. He sprang after the black and white loner to catch up. "Thank you. If it hadn't been for you we'd be dead right now."

Barley nodded solemnly. "I'm glad it ended well. What's your name?"

"Ravenpaw."

"Well, Ravenpaw, besides when I had to bite that one rat off your neck, you actually weren't doing too bad yourself. You'd make a fine ratter with a little training."

Surprised at the praise, Ravenpaw nodded, not knowing what to say. He hadn't thought he had done particularly well. In fact, he'd actually spent most of the time thinking he was about to die. Ravenpaw glanced in the direction of his Clanmates, and when he looked back Barley had disappeared through the fence.

He gathered the cobwebs from the bush and unevenly walked back to Bluestar's side. "Here." He held out his cobweb covered forepaw. Ravenpaw tried to balance on his hind legs and use both his forepaws to press the clumps of cobwebs to Bluestar's most serious wounds. Tigerclaw padded to and fro a short distance away, still on the lookout for rats.

"If it hadn't been for Tigerclaw, those rats would have eaten me alive," Bluestar murmured. Ravenpaw gave a noncommittal mew, unwilling to contradict her, especially in the presence of Tigerclaw. He concentrated on pressing strips of cobwebs onto her cuts and moved to the wound at the back of her neck. Or at least, where it should have been. Sifting through her blood dried fur, Ravenpaw tried to find the deep gash but realized that it wasn't there.

"The wound at the back of your neck!" he gasped. "It's gone!"

Bluestar purred, though her voice still sounded rife with pain. "I'm not surprised. I suspect that was the wound that took my life."

"But how . . ." he trailed off.

"When a Clan leader loses a life, StarClan heals that cat of whatever killed them, be it illness or injury," Bluestar explained. "That is how that wound was healed, and why the others were not." Ravenpaw nodded, in awe of StarClan's power.

Graypaw soon returned with the horsetail. Ravenpaw chewed them and spat the juice onto Bluestar's wounds like he had seen Dustpaw do with Yellowfang's. Graypaw helped him and soon Bluestar's rat bites were covered in healing horsetail juice.

Tigerclaw padded back to join them, seemingly satisfied that there were no more rats in the area. "We should rest here while Bluestar recovers."

Bluestar shook her head in disagreement. "No. We must return to camp." She rose to her paws, with Tigerclaw and the apprentices following close behind.

Bluestar and Tigerclaw padded side by side a short distance ahead of the apprentices, and Ravenpaw thought he could hear them speaking. Their voices carried through the breeze, but he couldn't make out what they were saying.

* * *

Their pace was painstakingly slow now, but Bluestar refused to stop and rest. They easily crossed the Thunderpath and made their way back into Clan territory.

As they crossed WindClan's hunting grounds, the scratches and bites on Ravenpaw's side stung, the ache intensifying whenever a gust of wind ruffled his fur. Graypaw trod beside him, his amber eyes glazed with pain.

Soon they reached ThunderClan territory. As they crossed the boundary, Ravenpaw tasted the air, trying to breathe in the familiar scents of the forest. _Thank StarClan we don't have to smell ShadowClan's stench anymore._ But as they continued further into their home territory, the scent of ShadowClan didn't fade.

Suddenly, Ravenpaw's ears twitched. He could make out the sound of yowling blended into the background. At first he thought he was imagining it, but then the sounds became clearer. "Can you hear that?"

A screech sounded in the distance, and Ravenpaw felt a pang of dread course through him.

Bluestar bounded forward. "Quick! It is as StarClan warned me! Our camp is being attacked!"


	15. Chapter 14

At the sound of Bluestar's alarm call, Ravenpaw sprang forward, Graypaw at his side. He raced through the forest, swerving around trees and leaping over fallen logs. Finally he reached the camp, and a storm a screams met his ears.

Every cat was fighting, including elders and queens. Brindleface was grappling with a dark ginger she-cat, even though her belly was heavy with kits. One-Eye, Dappletail, and Smallear were nipping at a vicious gray tabby, while one of the younger elders, Rosetail, was defending the nursery.

Ravenpaw lost sight of Graypaw almost immediately as he leaped into the fray. He felt claws strike his shoulder. Whipping around, he saw a flash of orange and black fur a mouselength from his whiskers. Ravenpaw tried to dodge, but the tortoiseshell was faster. She raked her sharp claws down his side, opening one of his wounds from the rat fight, and he shrieked as droplets of his own blood spattered the ground. Before he could respond to the attack, the enemy warrior bounded away to take on another ThunderClan cat.

A brown warrior caught sight of Ravenpaw and sprang at him when a fierce yowl sounded at the camp entrance. Ravenpaw recognized Bluestar's voice. The brown warrior looked up, distracted by the leader's arrival, and Ravenpaw took the chance to retreat to the back of the throng of fighting cats. Still stunned from the strike from the tortoiseshell, he squeezed between and underneath the battling cats, trying to make his way out from the group of warriors that he was still trapped in.

Ravenpaw could see Bluestar racing across the camp, her pelt a gray blur. She threw herself into the battle and clawed fiercely at their enemies in spite of her wounds. She raced at one tom, grasping him in her forepaws while raking her back claws through his belly. Only when the tom let out a scream of pain did she let him go. The tom stumbled into the thick undergrowth that surrounded the camp.

Out of nowhere, a huge gray tom pinned Ravenpaw to the ground with enormous paws. He didn't think he could bear any more weight without being crushed when yet another cat piled on top of him, his thorn-sharp claws digging into his shoulder. He cried out in pain and in the blink of an eye, the cats were gone. He looked around to see one of the cats was now crashing wildly through the camp, trying to buck off Dustpaw, who was clinging to his back. Lionheart was now grappling with the other, his golden tabby pelt streaked with blood. Ravenpaw had never seen Lionheart look so fierce.

"Fight, Ravenpaw!" the golden tabby yowled. "Go on!"

A flurry of enemy warriors passed in front of Ravenpaw, and he couldn't see Lionheart anymore. He was hobbling to his paws, bracing himself to take on the next enemy, when he noticed that there was no one guarding the nursery.  Why would Rosetail leave her position? Then he saw a ginger shape lying motionless next to the nursery.

"Rosetail!" he yowled. The lifeless elder did not respond to his call.

Next to Rosetail's body, he recognized Blackfoot of ShadowClan. The huge white tom was half inside the nursery, half out. With huge black paws he scooped up one kit and placed it outside. It was a tiny kit, Ravenpaw realized with a sickening feeling in his stomach, one of Frostfur's newborns. Blackfoot reached another paw into the nursery and pulled out another kit.

"The kits!" Ravenpaw screeched. "The kits are in danger!" Hoping that his Clanmates had heard his alarm through the noise, Ravenpaw tried to bound toward the nursery, but stumbled over his injured hind leg, and before he could do anything else a tabby ShadowClan cat tackled him from behind. Ravenpaw's muzzle was pressed into the dirt, and he flailed wildly to free himself, ignoring the sharp stings of pain from his wounds.

Lionheart's words repeated in his head: _Fight, Ravenpaw. Go on._ He flipped over onto his back. Summoning all his strength, Ravenpaw kicked wildly with his hind legs, clawing at the tabby tom's vulnerable belly. His attack sent the young tabby tom yowling across the clearing, and Ravenpaw flopped onto his side, gasping.

He scrambled to his paws and tried to make his way to the nursery, but he still couldn't get through the sea of fighting cats. He scanned the crowd, but there was no sign of Blackfoot or the kits in the clearing. Over the heads of his Clanmates and enemies, Ravenpaw saw Dustpaw burst into the nursery.

A moment later he ran out. "It's okay!" Dustpaw called through the noise of the battle. "Yellowfang's protecting them." Ravenpaw wasn't as confident in Yellowfang intentions as Dustpaw was, but he couldn't think about that now. Although many of the ShadowClan invaders had fled, there were still quite a few in the thick of the fight. Darkstripe and Longtail were fighting tooth and claw with a lithe ginger she-cat, while Mousefur was struggling against a swift black tom. Ravenpaw raced on three legs to her side and slashed at the tom, and together, he and Mousefur ran him into the forest. Similar one sided fights were taking place across the camp now, with the ThunderClan cats starting to outnumber ShadowClan.

As the patrol of enemy warriors thinned, the ThunderClan cats converged on the last of the intruders. Finally, Whitestorm and Speckletail chased the remaining two warriors away, nipping at their heels as they pelted out of the camp.

With the clearing safe from enemy warriors, Ravenpaw sat down, panting. He kept his weight on one side to protect his sore back leg. Panting, exhausted from both the battle and the journey to Highstones, he twisted to lick the blood from his fur. His wounds burned, and he couldn't tell which ones were from the rat fight or the ShadowClan attack.

Cats were scattered around the camp, some were wailing, but most were silent. As Ravenpaw looked up from his grooming he absorbed the extent of his Clanmates' injuries. Sandpaw was limping from a deep gash in her foreleg, while Willowpelt had settled herself onto her side, a low moan escaping her mouth. A few claw marked cats had seen Rosetail's body and were nuzzling her gently. Although none of their wounds seemed to be life threatening, Ravenpaw thought they could use the help of a medicine cat. He stood up to look for her and soon realized and that Spottedleaf was nowhere in sight.

He turned around and saw Spottedleaf's orange dappled pelt in the center of a crowd of cats that had congregated around the Highrock. Ravenpaw squeezed through the crowd to the front and his heart dropped. Lionheart was lying next to the Highrock, covered in scratches. There was a deep wound on his side, and the rise and fall of his chest was barely visible. Spottedleaf was sitting next to him, and Ravenpaw wondered why she wasn't doing anything, when she gave a tiny shake of her head and closed her eyes.

_No._

He heard a wail from behind him, and the crowd parted to let Graypaw through. Spottedleaf stepped away from Lionheart to give the dying warrior and his apprentice some space. Ravenpaw stared numbly as Graypaw began to groom his mentor's fur.

_No._ The word repeated in his head, and Ravenpaw told himself that maybe what he was seeing wouldn't be true if he just wished it enough.

The Clan looked on at the terrible scene in silent witness. After a long time, the sun's rays fell beneath the tree tops, and Lionheart's chest fell for the last time.

"He's gone!" Graypaw cried. Wails of sorrow echoed through the camp.

In a stupor, Ravenpaw padded over to join his friend. He sat with him as the sun set, staying a constant presence by his side, as their Clanmates joined them to say their last farewells to their fallen deputy. Ravenpaw felt detached as they whispered in Lionheart's ear: Goldenflower, saying goodbye to her brother; Speckletail, saying goodbye to her son; Whitestorm, thanking his fellow warrior for his courage, and many other cats who thanked him for his bravery and wisdom.

Bluestar waited for the other warriors to leave before she approached. She padded up to Lionheart's side and murmured something in his ear that Ravenpaw couldn't make out. Bluestar stared at him sorrowfully for a moment, and then rose to her paws again to sit a little ways off, her eyes filled with pain.

Tigerclaw loped to the fallen deputy's side and settled himself next to Lionheart's body. He was silent, but Ravenpaw could feel his mentor's gaze boring into him. With a final glance toward Ravenpaw, Tigerclaw rose to his paws and padded away.

Pressed into Graypaw's side for warmth against the chilly leaf-fall air, Ravenpaw reflected on Lionheart's death. _I'll never forget you,_ he told the golden warrior silently. _You were like a mentor to me._

Ravenpaw rested, numbly staring straight ahead, his mind filled with memories of Lionheart and the wisdom the brave golden tabby had shared with him. But in spite of his grief, he couldn't help but think about the implications of the brave warrior's death. Who would be chosen as deputy now? Ravenpaw closed his eyes, praying to StarClan that it wouldn't be Tigerclaw.

* * *

Later that night, Spottedleaf applied marigold poultice to his wounds.

"Are you done yet?" Ravenpaw asked her, wincing.

Spottedleaf nodded, sweeping aside some of the leftover herbs with her tail. "Be sure to come by the medicine den in the next few days to get it checked."

"Thanks." Leaving the medicine den, Ravenpaw looked back to nod his goodbye, and then made his way to the main clearing.

A yowl rang out- Bluestar had called a Clan meeting.

_This is it._ Settling himself at the edge of the crowd, Ravenpaw curled his tail around his paws. Soon the entire Clan had gathered.

"It is nearly moonhigh," Bluestar began. "And it is once more my duty- much, much too soon- to name ThunderClan's next deputy. I say these words before the body of Lionheart, so that his spirit may hear and approve my choice." She paused. Ravenpaw held his breath. _Please not Tigerclaw. Please._ "I have not forgotten how one cat avenged the death of Redtail and brought his body back to us. ThunderClan needs this fearless loyalty even more now." Ravenpaw sat frozen in horror as Bluestar continued. "Tigerclaw will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Cheers rose from the crowd as Tigerclaw made his way through the gathered ThunderClan cats. He bounded up the Highrock to stand beside Bluestar. "ThunderClan! I am honored to accept the position of Clan deputy. I never expected to gain such high rank, but by the spirit of Lionheart, I vow to serve you as best I can."

The Clan met his speech with approving yowls. Ravenpaw struggled to stop himself from shaking.

_No!_ he yowled inwardly. _She should never have chosen him!_

He shivered, lost in thought. Tigerclaw was deputy now. That was, Ravenpaw realized, probably why he had killed Redtail in the first place. And now that the dark warrior had achieved his goal, what would he do to stop it from being taken away?

The image of Tigerclaw leaping at him and burying his teeth in his throat seared Ravenpaw's mind.

* * *

A short while later, Bluestar called another Clan meeting. Ravenpaw and the other apprentices pushed out of their den to join the rest of their Clan gathered at the center of the clearing. Tigerclaw was standing on the Highrock next to Bluestar. Ravenpaw shuddered at the image. _How will I ever get used to this?_

His mentor already seemed more authoritative, his commanding gaze sweeping the Clan. "During the battle, Bluestar lost another life. Now that she only has four of her nine lives left, I am going to appoint a bodyguard to stay at her side at all times. No cat will be allowed to approach her unless her guards are present." Ravenpaw, who had been trying to avoid eye contact with Tigerclaw, looked up to see his mentor's amber eyes turn to him, and then back to the gathered ThunderClan cats. "Darkstripe and Longtail," he announced solemnly, with the air of a leader declaring a new warrior, "you will act as Bluestar's guards."

The two named warriors proudly nodded their acceptance.

"Thank you, Tigerclaw, for your loyalty." Bluestar now spoke from beside Tigerclaw. "In spite of these precautions, the Clan must understand that I am still here for them. No cat should hesitate to approach me, and I am happy to speak to anyone with or without my bodyguards. As the warrior code says, the safety of the Clan is more important than the security of any single member." She glanced at Tigerclaw, and then turned to back to the rest of the crowd. "And now, I wish to recognize one cat." The Clan shared bewildered glances with one another.

Bluestar continued. "Yellowfang has lived among us for some time now. Our apprentices were tasked with caring for her, and I have seen the changes in them, and how it has affected their development as warriors. I think a few may have grown to consider her a friend."

Ravenpaw's whiskers twitched in amusement. By a few, he was sure, she meant Dustpaw. As much as the brown tabby apprentice denied it, it was clear to see that he and Yellowfang had developed something of a friendship, even if it was a contentious one. The gathered cats simultaneously turned to look at his brother, who was bristling at the sudden attention.

"What are you looking at me for?"

"Yellowfang has taught our apprentices the importance of caring for our elders," Bluestar continued. "But additionally, she has fought for us. In the battle last night, she sheltered near the fallen oak at first. However, after Rosetail died, she didn't hesitate to take her place, protecting the kits as though they were her Clanmates." Surprised murmurs rippled through the camp when they realized where Bluestar's speech was headed. Ravenpaw saw Frostfur nodding approvingly from her spot with the queens. Bluestar waited for the murmuring to die down and turned to the old she-cat. "Yellowfang, you proved your loyalty with your actions last night. If you wish it, we would welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Yellowfang's gaze swept around the clearing, her orange eyes glowing. "I am honored, Bluestar, and I accept your offer."

"Good," Bluestar meowed.

Many of the ThunderClan cats looked disgruntled, Ravenpaw noticed. A few looked pleased, including Dustpaw, although he seemed to be trying not to show it. Ravenpaw had to admit that saving the kits lives in the face of an attack from her former Clan did prove that Yellowfang was loyal, although it didn't change the fact that he was still slightly afraid of her.

After the noise fell, Bluestar began to speak once more. "Last night, we were able to defend ourselves from ShadowClan, but they are still a great threat. The repair work on our camp boundaries will continue. Our borders will be patrolled constantly. We must not assume that the war is over."

Tigerclaw stood up to speak, his voice a deep growl. "ShadowClan attacked while we were away from camp. They chose their moment well. How did they know that the camp was so poorly defended? Do they have eyes inside our camp?" Tigerclaw's amber eyes swiveled to Ravenpaw. He shuffled his paws and dropped his gaze, his fur prickling from his Clanmates' stares.

Why was Tigerclaw singling him out? Was this his mentor's plan for revenge? He shivered, waiting for his Clanmates to look away. Trapped in the depths of his musings, Ravenpaw barely noticed that Tigerclaw was still speaking. "-must concentrate on rebuilding our camp," he was meowing. "Meanwhile, if you suspect anything, or anyone, tell me. Be assured, anything you say will be in confidence." The meeting began to break up, and as the cats broke up to form groups to help with the repairs, Ravenpaw's heart pounded.

He noticed a few of his Clanmates sending confused looks in his direction, muttering to each other. He ignored them, and keeping his head down, padded over to help the elders patch their section of the camp wall.

_What am I going to do?_

Yellowfang was watching him from where she sat next to Dustpaw, but for once Ravenpaw didn't pay her any notice. It didn't really matter to him. In comparison to Lionheart's death, a murderer's appointment as deputy, and his mentor's insinuations that he was disloyal, Yellowfang's opinion of him was the least of his worries.


	16. Chapter 15

Ravenpaw woke up early the next morning. When he emerged from the apprentices' den, the wind had picked up and was blowing through the leaves above his head. It seemed strangely loud.

He pricked his ears. That wasn't the sound leaves rustling- it was mewing. Pelt sparking with worry, he followed the curve of the camp boundary. Darkstripe eyed him suspiciously as he walked past.

He had to be imagining it- cats were stopping their conversations as he approached. They couldn't be gossiping about him, could they? But as they grew silent when they noticed him, he grew more certain that they were. Mousefur, Willowpelt, Runningwind- all three looked up in surprise when he mewed hello. Longtail and Speckletail turned away from him as he walked by.

There were more voices coming from behind the Highrock, just outside the camp. Determined to find out if his Clanmates were discussing him, Ravenpaw squeezed himself into a hollow part of the bramble wall and crouched in the shadow of the Highrock.

"Did StarClan reveal anything to you?" Spottedleaf was mewing.

"No." Bluestar's voice was layered in weariness. "They only foresaw the battle. StarClan hasn't said anything about the prophecy since the night before Redtail died." There was a pause. "Have they given you any signs?"

"Nothing beyond the usual," meowed Spottedleaf. They were definitely not talking about him. Ravenpaw bristled, mortified that he was eavesdropping, albeit accidentally, on his Clan leader and medicine cat. But he couldn't leave now; they would notice him. He trembled as Spottedleaf continued. "As much as it pains me to say this, perhaps we should move on from the fire prophecy."

"Brokenstar's aggression is worrying me," Bluestar replied. Ravenpaw's eyes widened. He was certainly not supposed to be hearing this. "What if the cat the prophecy spoke of is our only chance at survival?"

In his panic he nearly missed Spottedleaf's reply. "We must be patient. I think StarClan themselves may have been surprised at how everything turned out. In time they will guide us, whether through the fire prophecy or a new one."

Bluestar blinked warmly at the tortoiseshell she-cat. "Spottedleaf, you are a wise medicine cat. I am thankful for your advice."

In that moment both cats were looking at each other. Taking his chance, Ravenpaw slipped out from the bramble bush, shaking. There was a prophecy? About fire? He shook his head, wanting to erase the conversation from his memory. He was just an apprentice; prophecies were for medicine cats and leaders!

Spotting Tigerclaw and Graypaw, Ravenpaw made his way over to them and sat down at the edge of the group. Tigerclaw narrowed his eyes. "Graypaw, you can join my training session. Do you think you're up to it, Ravenpaw? After all, you got some pretty nasty nettle stings while the rest of us were fighting those rats."

"I'm fine," Ravenpaw mewed, avoiding his mentor's gaze.

He followed Tigerclaw and Graypaw out of the camp, his tail hanging low. When they reached the sandy hollow, Tigerclaw turned to face them. The clearing seemed empty without Lionheart there.

"Today you will be practicing some... unconvential hunting techniques." Tigerclaw waved his tail at them, indicating for them to follow. Soon they reached the stream and Tigerclaw continued his instructions. "Graypaw, you will hunt here."

Graypaw's eyes narrowed in confusion. "Hunt by the stream? What's so unusual about that?" His tone wasn't defiant, just curious, but Tigerclaw still seemed irritated by the question.

"You won't be hunting by the stream, you will be hunting in it," Tigerclaw replied.

Graypaw's jaws dropped. "Fishing?"

Tigerclaw nodded. "You will fish in the stream today. Bring back any fresh-kill you manage to catch." The look in the dark tabby's eyes was doubtful. "By attempting another Clan's hunting method, you shall gain a deeper appreciation for ThunderClan's."

Graypaw nodded.

Tigerclaw and Ravenpaw continued through the forest. They passed the Owltree and soon they were very near the ShadowClan border.

Ravenpaw was wondering how much longer they would walk before Tigerclaw spoke. "It was difficult for me to decide what assignment to give you today, Ravenpaw. I needed a task that even a terrible hunter like you could perform. So I have a challenge for you." His eyes glittered maliciously as he continued. "A challenge that hopefully won't be too problematic for your terrible skills." Tigerclaw loped onward and Ravenpaw felt a knot of dread form in the pit of his stomach. "You will have to cross the Thunderpath, but you've done that before."

Ravenpaw blinked. "Why would I have to do that?"

Tigerclaw stopped in his tracks. "Because you will be hunting in ShadowClan territory."

Ravenpaw stared at him, speechless. Hunt in ShadowClan's hunting grounds? That was insane! He would be killed if he was seen! After a moment he spoke, his voice trembling. "B-but I'd be trespassing-"

"Are you questioning my orders?" Tigerclaw growled.

"N-no, Tigerclaw, but I-"

"You will hunt in ShadowClan territory!" snarled the dark warrior. "It's more shaded on ShadowClan's hunting grounds. Hunting should require less skill there; it will be perfect for you."

"But what if they catch me-" Ravenpaw protested weakly, his voice small.

Tigerclaw cut him off before he finished. "Maybe you'll live, maybe you won't. If you're so worried about it don't get caught, you mouse-hearted excuse for a cat. Now go, and don't come back without fresh-kill!"

Ravenpaw backed away, reluctantly making his way to the Thunderpath.

He approached the sickly smelling path, his paws trembling. The Thunderpath wasn't crowded by any means, but the ground still rumbled under his paws. A monster was speeding toward him from a distance away. The roaring grew louder and louder, until it reached a high pitched shriek, and then it growled lower and lower as it raced away. Another monster pelted from the other direction. Ravenpaw shook as the monster roared past, whipping up a cloud of dust. Trying to steady himself, he took deep, calculated breaths.

What if he just hunted on ThunderClan territory, and when he returned to camp pretend to Tigerclaw that he had caught it on ShadowClan territory? Ravenpaw swiveled his head around. Tigerclaw's eyes were gleaming from the safety of the trees. He was making sure Ravenpaw wouldn't back out. There was no way to disobey his order now.

Ravenpaw crept forward, the tips of his paws grazing the Thunderpath. There was a lull but he still hesitated. Suddenly the familiar grumbling of a monster shook the air and Ravenpaw took his chance.

Stepping onto the Thunderpath, Ravenpaw glanced in the direction of the noise and saw the monster's gleaming eyes casting a beam of light straight ahead, progressing steadily toward him. Momentarily torn between crossing to ShadowClan territory and retreating to ThunderClan's, Ravenpaw bolted forward. As his paws touched the ShadowClan side, the monster wailed behind him in frustration at its missed prey.

The stifling stench of ShadowClan flooded his scent glands. This part of the territory seemed mostly the same as ThunderClan's. It had a few more pine trees, and the ground was a bit softer underpaw, but Ravenpaw could still pick up the scent of ThunderClan prey from the other side. Although Ravenpaw could scent the individual smells of several cats, it didn't seem as though they had patrolled this area recently.

His thoughts turned to the task at hand. How could he even hunt now, with his heartbeat pulsing so loudly in his ears? Surely even prey would be able to hear it. Ravenpaw hesitantly padded forward, every instinct willing him to turn back.

His nerves didn't ease as he slunk farther into the marshy forest. Every once in a while he would think he heard something, but when he turned he saw nothing but tall shadowed pine trees.

The undergrowth was growing thicker- and sharper too. Thorns tugged at Ravenpaw's pelt from all sides as he progressed deeper into enemy territory. Tigerclaw had been lying- prey was not easier to catch here. Ravenpaw was in the heart of ShadowClan territory now, his momentum slowed to a crawl from the thick undergrowth, and he hadn't even caught a whiff of a mouse yet.

Soon he came upon a small clearing. At the center was a moss covered tree that was resting on its side, and behind that...

_Squirrel._ Looping around the fallen log, Ravenpaw dove behind a patch of brambles. Ears pricked, he listened for the tiny pawsteps of the squirrel as it came back into view. It hopped across his field of vision, and clearly it had no idea that it was being watched. Bunching his muscles, he sprang.

Setting the squirrel aside, he quickly carried on, knowing that his luck might not hold up for much longer.

A bird was pecking at the ground in an open area between the thick undergrowth. He approached stealthily, keeping low to the ground. Ducking underneath a clump of nettles, he paused, taking in the view. The finch was still feeding, unaware of his presence, but it began to flutter its wings to fly away.

At the last possible heartbeat Ravenpaw burst out from the undergrowth and in a flash snapped the bird's neck with a strong bite.

Ravenpaw decided that he had enough. It was getting late. He held both pieces of prey in his jaws, the squirrel's tail dragging against the forest floor. As Ravenpaw made his way back, he noticed with confusion that the sharp distinctive scent of the territory was growing stronger. He suddenly realized what that meant.

Abandoning his prey, Ravenpaw bounded to a bramble thicket and pushed his way inside. He wasn't a moment too soon when a ShadowClan patrol emerged from the trees, within sight of where he had been just a few heartbeats before.

Ravenpaw could see the dark outlines of cats through the thicket. One of the warriors stopped and sniffed the air thoughtfully. Another cat looked back at him. "What is it, Stumpytail?"

The warrior's mouth was still open, trying to detect the unfamiliar scent. Finally he stopped and hurried to catch up to the patrol. "Nothing," meowed Stumpytail. "I just thought I smelled something."

"Is that squirrel?" a hopeful voice asked. "Can I catch it?" Ravenpaw recognized that mew as one of the apprentices he had met at the Gathering.

"No, Brownpaw," Stumpytail answered. "We're not hunting right now." The patrol continued on and Ravenpaw let out a slow, silent breath.

Only when their voices had faded completely did he return to pick up his prey.

This late at night, the Thunderpath was deserted. Ravenpaw made it to the ThunderClan side without incident.

It was nearly moonhigh by the time Ravenpaw stumbled back into the camp. Hoping that no one could detect the ShadowClan scent, he placed his fresh-kill with the rest, and picked out a small shrew for himself. Despite a long day of hunting, he wasn't hungry.

As he ate his shrew, he saw Darkstripe and Longtail murmuring to each other as they stood guard outside of Bluestar's den. Ravenpaw couldn't help but notice that every once in a while their eyes flicked to him and then back to each other. _Why are they looking at me?_ he thought. _Could they have smelled the ShadowClan scent on my fur?_

Ravenpaw shivered, losing his appetite completely. He buried the half eaten shrew and pushed his way into the apprentices' den. Even though he was surrounded by Clanmates, he had never felt more alone.


	17. Chapter 16

The murmurings continued the next day. Ravenpaw tried to greet several of his Clanmates that morning, but whenever he approached their mews became stilted and awkward, and before he could get more than a few words in they would make an excuse to leave.

The only cats that weren't behaving oddly were Frostfur's kits. Cinderkit and Brackenkit tumbled about the clearing, their younger siblings looking on. Ravenpaw was about to call out a greeting before deciding against it. The kits might want him to tell them a story, and he didn't feel up to it.

Eventually he found himself padding to the medicine den. Perhaps Spottedleaf hadn't heard the rumors about him and they could have a normal conversation.

He made his way inside. Spottedleaf settled next to a heap of herbs, separating it into smaller piles. He hoped she hadn't heard him eavesdropping on her talk with Bluestar yesterday. Ravenpaw wanted more than anything to ask her about the prophecy, but that was none of his business.

"Good morning." Spottedleaf turned to face him. "Is there anything I can do for you? Wounds acting up?"

"Just here to say hi," Ravenpaw replied, noticing there were more herbs in the middle of the walkway. "Are you in the middle of something?"

"In a word, yes. I'm organizing the den in preparation for leaf-bare," Spottedleaf meowed. "A lot of herbs can be dried and stored during the cold seasons and I thought I'd get a start on it before leaf-fall hits in full force. And I need to prepare, in case there is a battle."

"I can go if you're too busy." Ravenpaw started to back away toward the entrance.

Spottedleaf called him back before he could go anywhere. "Actually Ravenpaw, could you help me with something?"

"Sure."

"Can you bring me some more beech leaves? They're at the far side on the back wall." Ravenpaw nodded and padded deeper into the den. Staring down at the store of herbs, Ravenpaw looked back, confused. "Next to the comfrey." Ravenpaw looked at the piles of indistinct assorted herbs and then back at Spottedleaf. "The one with the uneven edges." Ravenpaw bent down to pick up the clump of leaves. "That's marigold, it's the one right next to it." Ravenpaw pointed at the various herbs with his nose in turn. "No. Not that one. No. It's right there- wait, you just passed it- no- yes, that's it. You've got it."

Having finally found the right herb, Ravenpaw carried it to Spottedleaf, reflecting that in spite of his aversion to fighting, he was definitely not cut out to be a medicine cat. "Here it is."

"Thank you, Ravenpaw." Spottedleaf gestured with her tail toward a spot on the floor. "Put them right here." Ravenpaw obliged and sat down facing her.

"Now," she instructed. "Take one of each of these herbs and place them in a leaf wrap like this." Spottedleaf adeptly rolled the leaf over and delicately lifted an herb out of three different piles. Then she folded the leaf over on top of them, creasing the edges. She indicated the pile of clumpy pale green herbs with her tail. "Make sure not to bite down when you lift that one or you'll be vomiting for the next two days."

Very carefully, Ravenpaw picked up the sharp smelling herbs in his teeth and dropped them on top of the large leaf like Spottedleaf had shown him. At first it was difficult, and Spottedleaf had to correct his leaf folding a few times, but eventually he got the hang of it. They settled into a conversation as they organized herbs side by side.

"Has Yellowfang asked for any herbs lately?" asked Spottedleaf.

"I haven't spoken to her since Bluestar asked her to join ThunderClan," Ravenpaw replied.

Spottedleaf was separating a leaf from its stem as she mewed, deep in concentration. "I've been thinking now that she is an official member of the Clan, we could use a second medicine cat. It's been rather busy lately and I'd welcome the help."

Ravenpaw frowned, shifting his paws. He disliked the idea of being Clanmates with the same cat that had attacked him so ferociously a few moons before. "Maybe. . ."

"You're still suspicious of her." Spottedleaf's mew wasn't a question.

Ravenpaw shrugged, feeling as though Spottedleaf's amber eyes could see through the back of his head and into his mind.

"I know Yellowfang," Spottedleaf began. "Not well, mind you," she added at Ravenpaw's disbelieving look. "But I've met with her as well as the other medicine cats at every half-moon, and I can tell you that Yellowfang is a brave and wise cat, even if she is quick tempered." Spottedleaf broke off with a purr. "She's actually mellowed out quite a bit since she came to ThunderClan."

Ravenpaw looked down, refusing to respond to Spottedleaf's assurance. Yellowfang had attacked him, and spat insults at their Clanmates time and time again. Surely Spottedleaf couldn't believe that she was loyal to ThunderClan now?

Graypaw's head suddenly appeared in the entrance. "Hey, Ravenpaw, there you are. Brindleface's kits were born last night. I'm going to go see them. Want to come?"

"Sure," Ravenpaw meowed. "I'll meet you outside. I just need to finish this up first." He quickly folded the last set of leaves and herbs and began to make his way out of the medicine den. "Bye, Spottedleaf."

Spottedleaf touched her tail to his shoulder as he brushed past. "You'll grow to trust her eventually, you'll see." Ravenpaw was doubtful but he didn't respond.

Waving his tail in farewell, Ravenpaw padded out of the medicine den. He made his way to the nursery alongside his friend.

The air was warm when he stepped inside. Nestled near Brindleface's belly were four kits, each of which were pale gray with darker flecks, just like their mother.

"They're beautiful," Graypaw meowed. Ravenpaw nodded in agreement from his friend's side.

"Yes," Brindleface mewed, her eyes flicking between her kits and then at Ravenpaw. Why was Brindleface looking at him like that? She seemed unusually tense. Thankfully Frostfur was treating him normally.

"This one's small," Frostfur meowed. "He reminds me a bit of you."

"Have you thought of names yet?" Ravenpaw asked.

Brindleface narrowed her eyes. "Not yet."

After a short time of idle chitchat, Ravenpaw decided he should leave. The tension in the nursery was making his fur stand on end.

He left the queens and Graypaw and padded back out into the camp. Next to the warriors' den, Darkstripe muttered something in Dustpaw's ear, tail tip twitching. Mousefur and Speckletail were looking in his direction, their eyes glinting. Ravenpaw shrank away from their hostile gazes. Why were his Clanmates staring at him today?

He made his way to the apprentices' den and closed his eyes. He should rest. Even though rain clouds were blotting out the sun, Tigerclaw might still take him out to train later.

Suddenly a horrified screech pierced the air. "My kits are gone!" Ravenpaw spun around to see Frostfur racing to the center of the clearing.

Tigerclaw, who had been talking with Longtail by the Highrock, bounded to the distraught queen's side. His authoritative voice rang out: "Quick, search the camp! Whitestorm, stay where you are. Warriors, patrol the camp boundary. Apprentices, search every den!"

Wide awake now, Ravenpaw charged into the elders' den. There was no one there, and he couldn't scent any of the kits, but he pushed through the nests and bedding anyway, hoping to find them hidden beneath.

Sandpaw raced into the den. "Any sign of them?" she mewed. "Dustpaw and I just checked the warriors'."

"No," replied Ravenpaw, still sifting through the bedding. Could little Cinderkit have convinced her siblings to go on an adventure in the woods? Ravenpaw bristled in distress. Frostfur's youngest litter was barely old enough to leave the nursery, let alone the camp!

Sandpaw joined him in searching the den. "I'll check again." After Ravenpaw's thorough search, he knew with certainty that the kits weren't there. He nodded though and left Sandpaw to it, emerging into the heavily shaded camp. Storm clouds were building, and he knew they had to find the kits soon.

Ravenpaw opened his mouth to taste the air, but he couldn't distinguish their scent from the rest of the ThunderClan cats.

Suddenly a sharp yowl sounded from behind the nursery. _Tigerclaw!_ Ravenpaw, as well as the rest of the Clan, bounded toward his voice. He squeezed through the crowd to the front, and with a sharp intake of breath, recognized the cat lying dead in front of him.

It was Spottedleaf. Her normally sleek tortoiseshell fur was ruffled, and on the back of her neck was the mark of a single, clean bite.

Ravenpaw's vision swam. What would ThunderClan do without its medicine cat? Wails rose around him one by one as the cats recognized what had happened.

A cat yowled from the back of the group. "Yellowfang is gone!"

More wails rose from the crowd, with Frostfur's rising above the rest. "Yellowfang has killed Spottedleaf and taken my kits!" Lightning flashed like a jagged claw mark in the sky, and for a heartbeat, the clearing was flooded with a brilliant white light.

"Yellowfang! I knew she couldn't be trusted," hissed Tigerclaw, the low rumble of thunder muffling his words. "Her fight with Blackfoot must have been a setup to trick her way into our Clan!" For once, Ravenpaw shared Tigerclaw's horror. This was much _much_ worse than a simple case of kits sneaking out of camp. What would happen to them after being stolen by an enemy Clan?

"I saw her leaving camp," Dustpaw mewed quietly, sounding shocked and betrayed. "I thought she'd found their scent trail." Dustpaw shook his head, and Ravenpaw could see that his littermate was still reluctant to believe that Yellowfang could have done this.

Ravenpaw thought back to his conversation with Spottedleaf earlier in the day. Her trust in Yellowfang had probably been what had gotten her killed. Shuddering, he tried to push back the dark thoughts, but was unsuccessful. He bristled as he imagined the scene: Spottedleaf kindly questioning Yellowfang about where she was taking the kits, not suspecting a thing, and Yellowfang leaping at Spottedleaf, claws extended.

"Bluestar! What do you say?" Darkstripe meowed above the Clan's whispers.

Bluestar stared for a long moment at Spottedleaf and then slowly turned to face the rest of the Clan. "If Yellowfang has killed Spottedleaf and stolen Frostfur's kits, she will be hunted down without mercy. But we must wait," she added as the crowd began to murmur approvingly. "There is a storm coming and I am not prepared to risk more lives. If ShadowClan has our kits, they will come to no immediate harm. I suspect Brokenstar wants them as recruits for his own Clan, or as hostages- to force us to let them hunt in our territory." The murmurs of the crowd gained a worrying tone. "As soon as the storm has passed," Bluestar continued, "a patrol will follow Yellowfang and bring back our kits."

"We can't waste time!" Tigerclaw turned to their leader. "If we wait, the scent will be lost in the rain!"

Bluestar shook her head. "No. If we try to track them now, their scent will be lost in the rain anyway. It would put our warriors in even more danger. After the storm, we stand a greater chance of success." There were a few meows of grudging agreement, but mostly silence.

The Clan began to slink back into their dens as rain started to splatter the ground. Ravenpaw stood frozen, staring at Spottedleaf, as her tortoiseshell fur was dappled with raindrops.


	18. Chapter 17

Uneasiness seemed to hang in the air like a thick fog. Disaster had struck, and time had come to a standstill. There was no activity at all in the center of the camp. Rain pelted down onto the body of ThunderClan's dead medicine cat.

Ravenpaw crouched in the shelter of a gorse bush, staring out at the clearing. The events of the day still hadn't sunk in.

He thought of his last conversation with Spottedleaf. She had trusted Yellowfang, respected her even, and now she had died at the traitorous elder's paws.

And the kits! Only StarClan knew what would happen to them.

_I'll visit the nursery,_ Ravenpaw decided. _I could check on Goldenflower's and Brindleface's kits._ He poked his head into the nursery. The queens were huddled around Frostfur, murmuring softly to her, while the remaining kits were huddled in a corner. Ravenpaw made to take a step toward them. At the sound of his pawsteps, Frostfur whipped around, and when her eyes settled on Ravenpaw, her expression collapsed into an enraged snarl.

"Get out!" she screeched.

"I was just-"

"Get out! Get out!" Frostfur leaped at him, teeth bared. Ravenpaw didn't need to be told twice. He shot out of the den, feeling Frostfur's breath on his tail. She chased him halfway across the clearing, nipping at his heels as he went.

Once he felt he had put enough distance between them, he turned to see Frostfur slipping back into the nursery, while the other queens glared at him from the entrance.

Shaking, Ravenpaw darted past his Clanmates to the safety of the apprentices' den, trying to comprehend what had just happened. Why had Frostfur reacted so strongly to his appearance? They were kin! He had thought they had been on friendly enough terms with each other, even if they weren't close. As he lay alone, shivering, a whimper rose in his throat. What was going on? Ravenpaw tucked his tail over his nose, trying to ignore his rising despair and nearly jumped when a gray head poked into the apprentices' den.

"What was that?" Graypaw asked. "Why did Frostfur just chase you out of the nursery?"

"I was just checking on the kits," Ravenpaw mewed, blinking miserably. "I just wanted to make sure they were alright." He dropped his head to his paws.

Graypaw tilted his head, his eyes filled with concern. He slowly padded forward, and huddled next to Ravenpaw. "She must be worried about her kits, that's all," he mewed, beginning to gently groom Ravenpaw's ears. Ravenpaw allowed Graypaw to comfort him, and began to drift to out of consciousness to the gentle, rhythmic strokes. _He has no idea,_ Ravenpaw thought sadly.

Too soon after it started the grooming stopped, and moments later the apprentices' den was filled with Graypaw's snoring. Staring with half closed eyes out at the downpour, Ravenpaw sighed. He was barely able to hear anything besides the rain thrumming against the earth.

A brown tabby pelt crossed Ravenpaw's field of vision, hidden by the shroud of rain. Peeking out through the gap in the apprentices' den, Ravenpaw saw Dustpaw shoot a furtive glance over his shoulder. Satisfied that he wasn't being watched, Dustpaw squeezed through a gap in the camp wall.

Ravenpaw blinked. Had Dustpaw really just snuck out of the camp? Where could he be going?

Yellowfang! Of course! _He's going to try to find her!_ Swishing his tail in frustration, he suppressed a hiss. Ravenpaw could not imagine what Dustpaw saw in the old rogue. Yellowfang was dangerous, and even cleverer than she had initially let on; she had tricked Bluestar into trusting her in spite of her fierce temper. Was Dustpaw really so mousebrained that he would try to talk to her? Ravenpaw leaped to his paws. As distant as they were from each other, he couldn't let his littermate confront Yellowfang alone.

He slipped out of the apprentices' den and pushed his way out of the camp, trotting in the direction Dustpaw had gone. He could barely detect the scent trail through the downpour.

As rain splashed his pelt, Ravenpaw traced his brother's pawsteps, weaving between trees and bushes. Occasionally he would pick up the scent of Yellowfang beneath Dustpaw's more recent path through the undergrowth. When Dustpaw's scent trail straightened out, Ravenpaw broke into a run. Both cats must have headed straight to ShadowClan territory from here.

Finally, he saw a brown tail tip flicking ahead of him through the sheet of rain. "Dustpaw?" He quickened his pace to catch up. "Where are you going?" He raced after Dustpaw, but his littermate didn't slow down.

"None of your business."

"Dustpaw, wait!"

"Go away!"

"You can't chase after Yellowfang alone!"

"Yes I can," he responded. "Bluestar's orders."

"Please, Dustpaw, wait!" Ravenpaw wondered how Dustpaw was even able to track Yellowfang while running this fast.

"Just leave me alone," Dustpaw meowed, not slowing down. He glanced back at Ravenpaw, his eyes smoldering. "Did you think I'd let you come along to visit your ShadowClan friends? Is that why you're here?"

Ravenpaw nearly stumbled in shock. "What?!"

"I know all about your ShadowClan hunting trip," called Dustpaw, still pelting through the forest at breakneck speed.

Ravenpaw flinched. "Wait!" he gasped, sprinting forward. How had Dustpaw known? Had this been Tigerclaw's plan all along? "Who told you that?"

"Does it matter?"

"But I..." Frustration pulsed through him as his brother raced on, ignoring him. "Dustpaw, wait a moment! I can explain!"

Dustpaw skidded to halt and whipped around to stand nose to nose with Ravenpaw, who nearly crashed into him before he came to a stop. "Were you on ShadowClan territory the other day or not then?"

The realization hit him like a Thunderpath monster- Dustpaw thought he was a traitor! "Yes, but I didn't want to be! I was ordered to hunt there!"

"By who?" Dustpaw shot back.

Ravenpaw shifted his weight on his paws, hesitating. "It was Tigerclaw," he panted. "He said it was for my training. To gain a better understanding of other Clan's hunting techniques."

Dustpaw snorted. "Yeah, right!" He rolled his eyes as a flash of lightning lit the sky. "Like Tigerclaw would order an apprentice to hunt on an enemy Clan's territory during a training session. Really, is that all you can come up with?"

"It's the truth, I swear! I wouldn't just trespass on another Clan's territory for the fun of it!"

"Cut the mousedung. We both know what you were really doing."

The fur rose on the back of Ravenpaw's neck. "I don't know what you're talking about." A new torrent of rain thundered the ground, but neither cat made any move to take shelter underneath the overhanging tree branches.

"Liar." Dustpaw's eyes narrowed into slits.

Dismay swept through Ravenpaw's pelt. "Dustpaw, why are you saying these things?"

Dustpaw peered at him, unblinking. "They say you're spying for ShadowClan; that that's how they timed their attack so well," he hissed. "And some of the warriors could smell their scent when you came back from hunting last night."

The ground shifted under Ravenpaw's feet. "Who told you this?"

"I don't see why that matters."

"Was it Tigerclaw?" demanded Ravenpaw.

"Why do you hate Tigerclaw so much? He's your mentor." Dustpaw glared at him. Clearly he held Tigerclaw in as high esteem as the rest of ThunderClan did.

Ravenpaw shook his head to clear it. "Okay, who was it then? Was it Longtail? Speckletail? Frostfur?" Dustpaw gave no reaction as he listed off the names.

"If you must know, I heard most of it from Darkstripe. It's not exactly a secret."

"He's been spreading rumors about me..." Ravenpaw mewed to himself, loud enough for Dustpaw to hear. Of course Tigerclaw would rely on his loyal first apprentice to spread the word. Nodding to himself, he mewed half to his brother, and half just to think aloud: "Tigerclaw must have told him. He would want to make me seem disloyal..." he trailed off, deep in thought.

He began to pace as the full effect of Dustpaw's words washed over him. Tigerclaw must have already turned most of the Clan against him. That's why Frostfur had reacted so strongly to his presence; she probably thought that he had a played a part in the kidnapping of her kits! Even his own littermate believed Tigerclaw's lies!

_I should have said something!_ Ravenpaw thought, suddenly furious with himself. What would Tigerclaw do now? Would he try to kill him? The dark warrior was capable of murder; his actions had already proved that much. What if Tigerclaw killed him and then tried to make it appear as though Ravenpaw had attacked him, forcing him to kill in self-defense? Ravenpaw shivered. The dark warrior had planned this. Even without knowing the specifics of Tigerclaw's plan, Ravenpaw knew with absolute certainty that it would end in his death or exile.

Dustpaw was still watching him. "Why would Tigerclaw of all cats want to discredit you?" he meowed, the skepticism apparent in his voice.

Ravenpaw took a deep breath. The past few moons had been leading up to this moment. He had to tell his brother the truth. "Because in the battle for Sunningrocks I-I saw who killed Redtail." His voice quavered. "It wasn't Oakheart." He crouched, closed his eyes, and braced himself for Dustpaw's reaction. "It was Tigerclaw."

Shuddering, Ravenpaw let out a long breath. It was out now, his terrible secret. There was no going back. He dared to open his eyes.

Dustpaw was looking down at him. After a long moment he shook his head. "That just . . . doesn't make any sense. Why would he do that?"

"I don't know!" Ravenpaw wailed. "I think he must have wanted to become deputy, but Lionheart was made deputy instead. But then Lionheart died and-" Dustpaw's eyes narrowed, and Ravenpaw sensed that he was losing him.

Dustpaw's mew was cynical. "So you're saying that Tigerclaw killed Redtail to take his place as deputy. Except he wasn't made deputy then, Lionheart was."

"But he must have thought he would be chosen!"

"Okay then, Ravenpaw, tell me: if he was so intent on becoming deputy why didn't he kill Lionheart as well?"

"I-I don't know," Ravenpaw choked. That was a fair point. He stared at his brother in disbelief. The situation was deteriorating rapidly. He had finally worked up the nerve to tell someone and they didn't believe him!

"And why didn't you say anything before, then?!" Dustpaw continued to challenge him. "You supposedly witness a Clanmate's murder and you wait until now to actually say something?"

Ravenpaw opened his mouth, but no words came out.

His brother's eyes darkened and he shook his head. "I can't believe you," he spat, lashing his tail. "Convenient that you should be saying these things now that you've been accused of treason!"

"Dustpaw, I'm telling the truth, I swear!" Ravenpaw insisted. "Listen," he whispered, checking the area for his mentor's presence out of instinct. "I saw it happen. I- I was running back to the battle to see if Redtail was okay, and then I saw him and he _was_ -" he paused for a breath, "-but then- but then Tigerclaw pounced at him and just held him there. Redtail tried to fight him off, but Tigerclaw was too strong. He gave him the killing bite and then-"

"Redtail was my mentor," Dustpaw meowed, shaking with fury. "I owe him everything. And now you're using his death as a-" his eyes blazed with rage as he struggled to speak- "just as a way to get out from your lies, another one of your stories. They were right about you." He shook his head closing his eyes, and when he opened them his glare was filled with pure hatred. "I don't know what you hoped to gain by betraying ThunderClan..."

A jolt of horror coursed through Ravenpaw as Dustpaw turned to leave. "Please, Dustpaw! I'm telling the truth. Wait, no!" Ravenpaw scrambled after Dustpaw as he began to pad away. "He's going to kill me," Ravenpaw whispered, frantically kneading his paws against the ground. Dustpaw turned back, his eyes cold. "It's his plan, Dustpaw. He knows I saw! He's going to kill me, I swear it. Dustpaw, please. Please don't leave." He fell into a crouch, begging, his eyes round. "Please."

"Are you going to follow me into ShadowClan territory?" Dustpaw's icy mew pierced Ravenpaw's heart. "Although I suppose you don't need to, since you probably know your way around there by now." Dustpaw spun around and with a flick of his tail, disappeared into the forest.

Ravenpaw collapsed onto his haunches, staring at the spot his brother had been a moment before as the last of his hope drained away.


	19. Chapter 18

Ravenpaw raced back to camp, his paws skidding through the mud. Rain soaked his pelt and his mind swirled with despair. In spite his lack of closeness with Dustpaw, he had still thought he could convince him. Now even his own littermate thought he was a traitor. Ravenpaw suppressed a growl of frustration. He shouldn't have been surprised. Tigerclaw was the most respected cat in the Clan. _If only I had told Bluestar in the first place!_ he thought. _Maybe I would have had a chance!_

It boggled his mind that Dustpaw was giving a cat who was quite possibly a kit stealer and murderer the benefit of the doubt, while disbelieving his own brother completely.

But as much as Dustpaw hated him right now, Ravenpaw couldn't let his littermate find Yellowfang alone. The only thing he could think of was to find his one true friend. "Graypaw!" Sliding into the apprentices den, he bounded up to his sleeping denmate, and prodded him with both forepaws. "Graypaw, get up!"

"Wha-" Graypaw mewed blearily. He blinked as his eyes adjusted.

"Graypaw, I need your help," Ravenpaw mewed urgently. "It's Dustpaw. He thinks he can find Yellowfang. For some reason he thinks he can just talk to her and she'll explain everything." He left out the part where he had told Dustpaw his terrible secret only to be ignored. "He's gone to track her to ShadowClan and I don't know what to do!"

"What?!" Graypaw had never sounded more shocked. He rose to his paws, squeezing out of the den to stand in the main clearing beside Ravenpaw. "What was he thinking?! We have to tell Bluestar."

"He said that Bluestar sent him herself."

"No way," meowed Graypaw. "Why would she send an apprentice?"

"I know!" Ravenpaw replied. "Yellowfang won't hesitate to kill him!" He paused when Graypaw didn't respond. "You think Yellowfang's not a traitor?"

"I dunno." Graypaw shrugged. "What if she isn't?" They stood silently for a moment, shivering as rain pelted down from the sky, soaking their fur.

Ravenpaw shook his head. "Yellowfang is definitely a traitor. She stole those kits-" he broke off, shivering not just from the cold. The kits were probably terrified right now. "What should we do?"

"Well, we can't just let him run off to ShadowClan by himself."

Ravenpaw nodded and bounded up to their Clan leader, Graypaw by his side. "Bluestar!"

Bluestar looked up from where she was sitting. "What's the matter?"

The two apprentices shared a look. After a long heartbeat Graypaw spoke. "We think Dustpaw's gone off to ShadowClan. To look for Yellowfang," he added hastily. They looked up at Bluestar, who was surveying them with narrowed eyes.

"And why would you think that?"

"I-I saw him leave camp," Ravenpaw began, "and I asked him. He said you sent him to track her down."

"That's because I did send him," Bluestar meowed.

"Oh." Ravenpaw shuffled his paws. Was she going to be angry with them for questioning her?

Bluestar's eyes gleamed with understanding. "You were concerned about your Clanmate."

"We couldn't just leave him to face ShadowClan alone." Ravenpaw blinked miserably, his whiskers dripping in the rain.

Bluestar regarded him for a long moment. "I understand. Dustpaw is your littermate..." she trailed off, deep in thought. Nodding to herself, she met Ravenpaw's gaze. "Very well. You and Graypaw may help Dustpaw search for Yellowfang."

"Us?!" Ravenpaw couldn't stop his voice from squeaking.

"You, Dustpaw, and Graypaw spent the most time with her," Bluestar pointed out. "Even if she is a traitor, she is more likely to trust one of you than any of our warriors."

Heart beating like a rabbit's pawsteps, Ravenpaw shared a glance with Graypaw. Apparently, Bluestar had yet to hear the rumors surrounding him, all the more reason to do this. If he could prove his loyalty to Bluestar, that would surely transfer to the rest of ThunderClan. He turned back to Bluestar and nodded their assent.

"As soon as you find Yellowfang, send word," Bluestar ordered. "I will be sending a warrior patrol as soon as the rain stops." Ravenpaw reflected that Bluestar seemed very confident that they would find Yellowfang, and he resolved to prove her right.

"Yes, Bluestar," he meowed, adrenaline overtaking his fear. He would prove to the Clan that he wasn't a traitor by rescuing the kits! He felt as though a fire had been lit beneath him.

Without another moment's hesitation, Ravenpaw led Graypaw out of camp. He pointed with his nose at the path of flattened undergrowth. "He went that way."

He and Graypaw raced along Dustpaw's route, their rapid pace made all the faster from Ravenpaw's prior knowledge of where they were headed. Soon they passed by the spot Dustpaw had left him earlier and Ravenpaw slowed, a sudden wariness creeping through his pelt.

Rain was still pattering against the leaves when they reached the edge of the Thunderpath. The steady hum of monsters rumbled the air.

"So they must have crossed here," Graypaw mewed.

Ravenpaw nodded, concentrating. He could just barely pick up Dustpaw's scent, and he couldn't detect Yellowfang's at all.

"We need to go about this carefully," he meowed. The storm was letting up slightly, but water still pattered the ground, and Ravenpaw's pelt was slick with rain.

"Alright, how about this." Graypaw flicked his tail at the Thunderpath. "We wait for all the monsters to pass. I'll give the sign, and we'll cross together." His mew sounded almost cheerful, but Ravenpaw could smell Graypaw's fear scent as well as his own.

"Ready when you are," Ravenpaw meowed through chattering teeth. He waited for Graypaw's signal to cross as a monster slowly roared past, and then another, churning up waves of muddy water.

"Now!" Graypaw and Ravenpaw streaked across the path, their paws barely touching its sticky surface.

As soon as they'd made it to the ShadowClan side, Ravenpaw recognized the area from his secret hunting mission. Struggling to pick up his brother's or Yellowfang's scent trail, he took a deep breath, letting the smells hit the roof of his mouth. "This way," he whispered, shivering not just from the cold.

They made their way deeper into ShadowClan's hunting grounds. The terrain turned marshier, and the pines grew taller, casting deep shadows in the undergrowth, making it difficult to navigate.

"I can see why they call it ShadowClan," Graypaw observed drily. Ravenpaw grunted in agreement, focusing on Dustpaw's scent.

They stopped in a shaded, moss covered clearing, circling the area to find the scent of either Dustpaw or Yellowfang. Graypaw shook his head. "I can't pick up anything at all. Can you?"

Ravenpaw took a deep breath, letting the smells of the forest hit the roof of his mouth. "Just Dustpaw. But it's really faint," mewed Ravenpaw. "The rain has already washed most of it away."

They walked past a tree with a split trunk, engulfed in the deep shadows. Ravenpaw hissed when he misjudged a step and his paw was stung by a nettle.

Graypaw came to a halt beside him. "Do you smell that?" Ravenpaw breathed in, bristling at the sharp scent. Kit's blood, and from the smell of it, they were of ThunderClan. Ravenpaw nodded, feeling nauseous.

His heart beat faster as they continued silently through the woods. The storm was petering out now, although the pine trees still rustled in the wind. There was still no sign of Yellowfang, and Dustpaw's scent was nearly impossible to pick up now, especially with the sharp tang of blood tainting the air. Ravenpaw hoped they would find them soon.

As if in answer to his thoughts, Graypaw suddenly exclaimed from beside him: "Look! There he is!" Ravenpaw turned to see Graypaw bounding toward a dark brown tabby tom. His back was turned, but Ravenpaw would recognize the pattern of stripes anywhere. It was Dustpaw! Fur tingling with relief, Ravenpaw raised his head to call out when he noticed a pair of orange eyes behind his littermate. Yellowfang! Horror flooded through him. Dustpaw must have been captured by the traitorous she-cat!

Suddenly Ravenpaw and Graypaw were being thrust to the ground in a flurry of paws. Graypaw's muffled yowl of surprise bounced off the trees. Ravenpaw looked in the direction where Dustpaw had been, intending to yowl to him for help, but both he and the set of familiar orange eyes had disappeared. Ravenpaw was being held against the ground by a dark, long haired cat. He breathed in its scent and felt a jolt of recognition. It was Yellowfang! But how was she here when she had just been guarding Dustpaw? He tried to call out to Graypaw but a paw was pressed against his throat, blocking his windpipe.

"There's more of them!" Graypaw gasped from where he was being held down by black pelted elder.

Two more cats slid out from the cover of the trees, slipping like shadows across the forest floor. _Four of them, and three of us,_ Ravenpaw thought despairingly. _We're outnumbered as it is, and if they call their Clanmates..._

The pressure on his throat let up. "Graypaw! Dustpaw!" he coughed. "What have you done with him?!" He twisted his head wildly, trying to find his brother. He had been there only a moment before!

"Keep quiet or they'll find us, you fool!" one of the ShadowClan voices hissed. Ravenpaw continued to struggle.

Yellowfang was still pinning him to the ground when he heard Dustpaw's voice. "You mousebrained idiot," he spat. "You'll get us all killed!"

But Ravenpaw didn't have time to think about his words. They had to fight back or they would never escape! Hind paws churning, he managed to twist around and bite down on Yellowfang's paw.

"Grr-arr!" she roared. Yellowfang jerked her paw away, and he used the moment to slip out of her grasp.

The two ShadowClan warriors that had been observing from the sidelines bounded toward him now. He could tell they were strong, but they were slow in their old age and Ravenpaw evaded them easily.

"I'll get help!" he yowled at his Clanmates, spinning around. Graypaw was still being held down, while Dustpaw was standing among the ShadowClan cats, unable to make a run for it without being attacked. "I'll come back for you, I promise!"

"Wait!" hissed Yellowfang. "Ravenpaw-"

He didn't hear any more of what the old rogue was saying as he left them behind, the landscape of tall pine trees rapidly changing into a mix of pine and oak, his paws carrying him like wings as he ran faster than he ever had in his life.

Ravenpaw shot through the forest, leaping over logs and pelting at full speed, ignoring brambles and nettles pricking at his fur. He dashed across the Thunderpath, not taking the time to even check for monsters. He had just made it back into ThunderClan territory when he suddenly careened into-

"Whitestorm?!" Ravenpaw crashed head on into the large white warrior. The huge tom was immovable, and Ravenpaw found himself splayed on the ground in a daze. "Thank StarClan you're here! Dustpaw and Graypaw, they're in ShadowClan territory-"

"We know," Mousefur mewed from behind Whitestorm, eyeing Ravenpaw suspiciously. Ravenpaw blinked in surprise. As well as Mousefur, Whitestorm had brought a whole patrol with him: Willowpelt, Runningwind, and Darkstripe.

The other cats in the patrol shared a meaningful glance with each other.

Panting, Ravenpaw tried to catch his breath. "No you don't understand! They've been taken by a group of warriors. Yellowfang is with them!" Runningwind meowed something into Mousefur's ear.

"Are we going to believe this?" Darkstripe sneered. "He could be sending us into a trap!"

Willowpelt, the only cat who hadn't seemed suspicious at his presence, spoke up. "What are you even talking about?! Our Clanmates are in danger!"

Darkstripe shot an incredulous glance at the dark gray she-cat. "Have you even heard anything I've been telling you the last few days? Ravenpaw's a trai-" Whitestorm gave a swift tail flick to silence him.

"Thank you for telling us, Ravenpaw," Whitestorm meowed, his expression unreadable. "We must set off at once. Do you know where they are?" If Whitestorm shared his Clanmates misgivings he didn't show it.

Ravenpaw nodded vigorously. "By a tree with a split trunk deep within ShadowClan's hunting grounds" he meowed, still panting. "It's in a mossy clearing."

"Shouldn't we see what Bluestar thinks before we launch an invasion?" Darkstripe lashed his tail, shooting a look of deep distrust at Ravenpaw.

Whitestorm shook his head. "If Graypaw and Dustpaw have been captured, we need to act now. Brokenstar won't show any mercy to nearly full grown apprentices. They are in grave peril." He turned to Ravenpaw. "Return to camp immediately. Tell Bluestar that we've gone ahead."

He flicked his tail, and the ThunderClan warriors sprang after him at his signal.

Ravenpaw broke into a sprint once again. His chest burned and his paws were numb, but he knew he had to keep going. _Don't worry Dustpaw, Graypaw. I'll make sure you come home._


	20. Chapter 19

Bursting through the camp wall, Ravenpaw bounded over to Bluestar, who was resting by her den.

"Bluestar!"

Bluestar bolted upright immediately, eyes flashing with alarm. "What happened?"

Cats began to emerge from their dens and gather around the Highrock as Ravenpaw gasped to catch his breath. "It's Dustpaw and Graypaw!" he meowed. "They've been captured!"

Shocked yowls rippled through the crowd. "How did this happen?" Bluestar asked, her voice clear.

"Graypaw and I were trying to follow Dustpaw's and Yellowfang's scent trail when we were attacked," Ravenpaw meowed, raising his head so the Clan could hear his statement above their own voices. "We had just found Dustpaw when four ShadowClan warriors leaped at us from out of nowhere and pinned us down. I managed to escape and I ran straight back." Some of the cats murmured to each other in low voices, shooting distrusting looks in his direction. "I met Whitestorm and his patrol at the border and told them," he went on, ignoring the other cats. "They went ahead into ShadowClan territory."

More caterwauling erupted. "What about Yellowfang? Did you find her?" a voice called above the rest of the noise.

Ravenpaw looked straight at Bluestar and answered: "She was among the four cats that attacked us." He noticed Frostfur from her spot with the queens giving him a searching look, and felt his heart expand with hope. Could she possibly believe him? Ravenpaw waited for the caterwauling to die down before he spoke again. "And there's more. We scented kit's blood just before we were attacked." Bluestar's eyes darkened and the yowls of outrage rose to a roar.

"I knew it!" spat Speckletail, her tail lashing.

Tigerclaw, who seemed to have momentarily forgotten his hatred of his apprentice, added his yowl to the thunder of voices. "ShadowClan has committed an act of war! We must fight!"

Ravenpaw twisted his ears back to hear what the elders were saying. "This is beyond anything I've seen before," meowed Patchpelt from his spot at the edge of the crowd. "I never thought it would come to this, stealing kits, taking apprentices hostage. I didn't realize ShadowClan would stoop so low."

"ShadowClan has lost touch with the warrior code," Dappletail agreed.

"But can we trust Ravenpaw's words?" Halftail spoke in an undertone to the other elders, but his voice was drowned out by the speculations of the other cats. Ravenpaw looked back and saw Patchpelt meowing something in One-Eye's ear, and the elderly she-cat blinked and shook her head vigorously.

He kneaded the dusty ground, his impatience rising. Cats were in danger and they were wasting time!

"ShadowClan will pay for this!" The yowling grew louder and louder, and Ravenpaw flattened his ears against the clamor of voices.

"ThunderClan!" Bluestar yowled, silencing the alarmed caterwauling. "I had hoped that ShadowClan would see reason, but this is beyond the pale. By stealing our kits and our apprentices, and by using their medicine cat to spy on us, Brokenstar has made us his enemy more than we ever were before now. We have been left with no other option. We will attack at once!" _Attack?!_ Ravenpaw felt his eyes widen as Bluestar continued. "I will lead this mission. Tigerclaw, Longtail, and Ravenpaw, you will join me. Hopefully we can catch up to Whitestorm's patrol before we launch the rescue." Bluestar beckoned the named cats with her tail, and together they moved toward the camp entrance.

"I must come along as well," Frostfur meowed, taking a step toward the group. "I'm sorry, Bluestar, but I can't take no for an answer. These are my kits, and if ShadowClan has done anything to them . . ." She trailed off, digging her claws into the ground.

Bluestar regarded her for a heartbeat, and then nodded her assent. "Very well." She turned to the rest of the Clan. "Stay on guard, all of you. Although it seems that ShadowClan's warriors are otherwise occupied in their own territory, we can never be entirely sure. Speckletail you are in charge of the camp."

The older queen nodded solemnly in return, and Ravenpaw realized with a shock that every single ThunderClan warrior would soon be on ShadowClan territory, fighting for their abducted Clanmates.

Bluestar led the patrol through ThunderClan's territory, briefing them as they sped toward the ShadowClan border. "Dustpaw and Graypaw both are in terrible danger. I wouldn't put it past Brokenstar to kill them for trespassing, even though they aren't full warriors." Ravenpaw felt a thrill of fear at her words. Bluestar's serious blue gaze met his eyes. "Ravenpaw, do you remember where you last saw them?" He nodded stiffly. "Then you will lead us to where they were captured."

"Is that wise?" Longtail muttered under his breath, but only Tigerclaw showed any sign that he heard him, a barely perceptible twitch of his ears.

"Should we not track Whitestorm's patrol instead?" Tigerclaw asked.

Bluestar shook her head. "If we do that, we waste time. The patrol's scent may have been washed away as well. We know where Dustpaw and Graypaw were last seen; we can track them from there. I'm counting on Whitestorm to have the same idea." Ravenpaw had never seen Bluestar look so resolute, and when she turned to him her eyes blazed like blue fire. "Lead the way, Ravenpaw."

The band of ThunderClan cats moved quickly, and Ravenpaw struggled to keep up with Bluestar's pace as he raced alongside her at the head of the patrol. With all the running he'd done today, his paw pads were growing cracked and sore, and he resolved to visit Spottedleaf at the end of the night. Then he remembered that she was dead. A renewed sense of anxiety washed over Ravenpaw. What would his Clan do without a medicine cat if there were injuries tonight? And what would they do in the long term as leaf-bare approached, bringing with it illness and disease? The worry hung like a weight in his belly as he continued through the woods.

They had soon reached the spot at the edge of ThunderClan territory where Ravenpaw had intercepted Whitestorm's patrol. Bluestar flicked her tail as a signal for silence, and the four cats raced across the Thunderpath on light, silent paws.

Bluestar touched her tail to his flank, and then nodded, allowing him to retake the lead. Ravenpaw led them deeper into ShadowClan's hunting grounds. He was aware of the stronger scent of ThunderClan overlaying his own weaker scent trail from earlier in the day. Whitestorm's patrol had weaved back and forth across his and Graypaw's original path- at least what he thought had been his original path; with the rain having washed away most of the scent, he wasn't entirely sure- and Ravenpaw grew less and less certain as they kept going.

They soon passed through a moss covered clearing. Pausing to sniff the air, Ravenpaw dug his claws into the ground. The tree with the split trunk was just fox-lengths away now. He hesitated, imagining ShadowClan warriors pouncing at them from the surrounding undergrowth. But where could they be? "Lost your way?" Tigerclaw growled.

"I was just trying to figure out how we should approach the spot," explained Ravenpaw. "It's up ahead, but I don't want to walk right into another trap."

They crept around the thick pine tree, their pelts blending into the shadows. Staring out at the space between the undergrowth and the trees, Ravenpaw inhaled sharply as the rest of the ThunderClan patrol did the same. Bluestar met his eyes and he nodded. This was the place he and Graypaw had been attacked.

With a flick of her tail, Bluestar led the patrol out into the open, ready to fight.

There was no scent of the kits at all here. Ravenpaw breathed in again and caught a faint whiff of the stolen apprentices. This had to be the spot. . . but there was no sign of them now.

Frostfur blinked. "They're not here."

"Graypaw and Dustpaw were though." Bluestar padded forward, sniffing. After a few moments she shook her head. "The scent trail ends here. They must have doubled back."

Frostfur began to walk around the clearing, nosing leaves and branches to try to pick up the scent, while Longtail followed her, shooting suspicious glances back at Ravenpaw. When they returned to the rest of the patrol, there was a long, awkward silence.

"Maybe we could go that way," Ravenpaw suggested, anxiety spreading through his pelt. "The trail probably breaks off somewhere-"

Longtail interrupted him. "The scent is long gone, it's washed away! We can't follow them now."

"Where are you taking us?!" Frostfur spat, her hackles rising. "Where are my kits?!"

"Silence!" Bluestar hissed. Frostfur and Longtail grew quiet although they still bristled, glaring at Ravenpaw. "Can you hear that?"

For a moment all Ravenpaw could hear was his own beating heart. Then a screech, barely audible and muffled by the thick trees and marshy ground, echoed through the forest.

"That way!" yowled Tigerclaw, abandoning any attempt at staying quiet. "Their camp!" The four cats pelted in the direction of the shriek, Ravenpaw falling to the back of the patrol. As they raced through the forest, Ravenpaw realized that Whitestorm's patrol had been here, and the scent of Yellowfang and the other ShadowClan cats hit his nostrils as he ran through the undergrowth. Had Whitestorm and the others somehow fought their way to the camp by themselves?

The ThunderClan warriors rushed the camp, their battle cries piercing the cold, damp air.

Bluestar raised her head and let out a fierce yowl. "Attack, ThunderClan!"

Bluestar, Tigerclaw and Longtail bounded to the middle of the ShadowClan camp, intercepting Brokenstar and several hard muscled warriors. Ravenpaw braced himself to fight them, but before he realized what was happening, the ShadowClan warriors swerved around the group and pelted out of the camp, the sound of their pawsteps fading rapidly into the distance.

Utterly confused, Ravenpaw realized that the camp was now silent. Blood and tufts of fur littered the ground. The fight was over.

Frostfur bounded forward, frantic. She paced the clearing and looked around, imploring the ShadowClan cats. "My kits! What have you done with them?" The ShadowClan cats didn't respond. Most of them crouched near the bramble wall of their camp, their eyes dull. "Where are my kits?!" she yowled. "If you've harmed one hair on their pelts you will pay!"

"They're right here." A familiar voice met Ravenpaw's ears. _Dustpaw!_ Ravenpaw spun around, and recognizing another familiar face, was about ready to collapse in relief. _And Graypaw! They're alright! Thank you, StarClan!_

Then he saw Yellowfang sitting at the edge of the camp, right next to Dustpaw and Graypaw. Frostfur must have seen her as well; with a snarl, the queen leaped at the old she-cat, her claws unsheathed.

"No! Frostfur!" Whitestorm bounded over to stand in front of the irate queen. "It wasn't Yellowfang who took your kits!" But Frostfur didn't seem to hear him through her fury.

Yellowfang backed several foxlengths away from the two struggling ThunderClan cats. Spitting at Yellowfang from across the camp, Frostfur was still trying to wrestle her way around Whitestorm when a shrill squeal sounded from behind Dustpaw.

Frostfur broke off her attack at the sound of her kits' cries. She turned, her eyes filled with relief, and she swept them close to her with her tail. "Oh kits, it's alright," Frostfur purred, nuzzling her kits gently, and covering their ears with licks. "You're safe now." She held them in a protective embrace, eyeing Yellowfang all the while as if daring her to come closer.

"Yellowfang didn't take them," Dustpaw repeated.

Frostfur's gaze hardened as Yellowfang dared to take a step toward her. "But . . ." She blinked, the words seeming to sink in. "It wasn't her?"

"No." Whitestorm shook his head. "Yellowfang did not betray us. It was Clawface who stole your kits and killed Spottedleaf."

Bluestar padded up, looking shocked. "Then what did Yellowfang have to gain from capturing the apprentices?"

An elderly black tom loped over to Bluestar, and Ravenpaw recognized him with a jolt. It was one of the cats that had attacked him and Graypaw! "With all the racket they were making, tramping and yowling through the forest, they would have attracted Brokenstar's warriors."

"I knew they wouldn't give me the chance to explain," Yellowfang meowed. "When I left the camp I intended to find the kits myself, but Dustpaw found me first, and he told me that a ThunderClan patrol would join us soon. I knew that it would take more than a ThunderClan search party to rescue them, so I found some of my old allies to help. We were waiting for the ThunderClan patrol when Graypaw and Ravenpaw arrived, ready to yowl our presence to the entire territory." Her whiskers twitched as she finished.

"But Dustpaw!" Ravenpaw meowed. How was he just calmly sitting there after everything that happened? "You were captured! I saw you!"

Dustpaw shook his head, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "No. I was just waiting for more ThunderClan cats. I wasn't thinking you and Graypaw would show up!" Beneath his amused expression was another emotion, and Ravenpaw knew that just beneath the surface, Dustpaw didn't entirely trust him.

Graypaw paused from grooming a wound on his side and limped forward to speak. "It actually turned out that Yellowfang was loyal to ThunderClan. She really came up with the whole plan." He shrugged apologetically.

Longtail had padded up to the group from out of earshot as Graypaw was speaking. "Wait, so Yellowfang was helping you? But _he_ said you had been captured!" Longtail indicated Ravenpaw with his tail.

"Well, it did certainly look that way at first," Graypaw replied cheerfully. "It took a few moments to realize I wasn't actually being captured myself at the time." Some of the ThunderClan cats were meowing to each other, shooting confused looks at Ravenpaw. Tigerclaw's tail tip twitched, and his eyes narrowed.

"What I don't understand," Longtail put in, slitting his eyes, "is why Yellowfang helped at all. Why did you even leave ShadowClan in the first place? Did Brokenstar set you up?"

Yellowfang let out a bitter mrrow of laughter. "You could say that."

"If most of ShadowClan didn't want Brokenstar as leader, why did they believe him over you?" Darkstripe challenged her, settling himself next to Longtail. Some of the ShadowClan cats looked down, and Ravenpaw recognized the shame in their expressions.

Sighing, Yellowfang flicked her ears. "Brokenstar could convince you that a rabbit was a hedgehog if he put his mind to it." Crouching against the cold ground, Ravenpaw shuddered. He zoned out as Yellowfang told her story: how she had been framed by Brokenstar for murdering kits, and then exiled. It was difficult for Ravenpaw to believe that Yellowfang had done no wrong, even in the face of so much evidence. _I was convinced she was a traitor!_

At the end of Yellowfang's explanation, the old black tom, who had been listening in silence, padded forward to speak directly to Bluestar. "And now, thanks to ThunderClan, Brokenstar and his warriors have been driven out." The tom dipped his head in a solemn gesture of thanks. "We are grateful for your help."

"We are glad to have been of assistance, Nightpelt," Bluestar replied. She looked around at the devastated camp. "And now it is time for us to leave. I give you my word as leader of ThunderClan that we will leave you in peace until the next Gathering."

Nightpelt nodded. "Thank you."

Bluestar turned to Yellowfang, who was sitting with a serious expression on her face. "Will you stay here?" Bluestar asked her. "Or will you return to ThunderClan with us?"

"If Spottedleaf is dead, then ThunderClan needs a medicine cat." Yellowfang looked at the ShadowClan camp, and then tore her gaze away. "I will return with you. ShadowClan is no longer my Clan. ThunderClan is my Clan now."

A ShadowClan tom Ravenpaw didn't recognize padded up to Yellowfang. "May StarClan go with you."

"May StarClan guide your path as well, Runningnose." The two cats touched noses.

One by one, the cats of ThunderClan began to walk over to the edge of the ShadowClan camp. Bluestar waited by the entrance with the rest of the ThunderClan patrol. Ravenpaw was among the last to join them, and as he approached, Bluestar turned to address the ThunderClan cats. "Come; let us return to camp."

They left the ShadowClan camp, and began to make their way home.


	21. Chapter 20

The ThunderClan cats made their way back to camp, with Bluestar and Tigerclaw padding together at the front of the massive patrol. Dustpaw and Graypaw were close behind, their stride confident and their tails held high.

Ravenpaw stayed near the back, his tail drooping. How could he have been so wrong? He had been entirely convinced that Dustpaw and Graypaw had been captured, and that Yellowfang had betrayed the Clan. At least it ended well enough; Frostfur had been reunited with her kits. She was still purring as she carried one in her mouth. The queen walked next to Longtail, Willowpelt, and Mousefur, who were helping her bring back the other three.

Ravenpaw was exhausted. His paws throbbed, his lungs ached, and his body stung from the pricks from thorns and nettles he had gained in ShadowClan territory.

When they reached the camp, the curious eyes of the cats that had remained behind turned to the returning patrol. Questioning mews peppered the arriving cats.

"Did you find them?"

"Wait, is that Yellowfang?"

"Why is the rogue with you?"

"Yellowfang did not betray us," Bluestar explained, bounding onto the Highrock to address the whole Clan. "She worked with ThunderClan to rescue the kits and remove Brokenstar from ShadowClan."

One-Eye squinted at Bluestar. "Did I hear that right? Brokenstar is no longer leader of ShadowClan?"

"Yep," Graypaw piped up, settling himself next to Ravenpaw.

Bluestar nodded. "It is true. Brokenstar and his supporters have been exiled."

"It was Yellowfang's plan that allowed us to get rid of him," Dustpaw meowed from where he sat next to the old she-cat. Confused caterwauls rose up from the elders and queens. Yellowfang tensed; there were still some cats that looked like they wanted to leap at her.

Bluestar let out a silencing yowl. "I will tell you all what happened, but you need to quiet down if you want to hear." When the clearing grew silent, Bluestar launched into an explanation of what happened to the cats that had remained behind. Ravenpaw wanted to sink into the forest floor to avoid their gazes.

"So Graypaw and Dustpaw weren't captured at all?" Speckletail called out when Bluestar had finished. Ravenpaw ducked his head.

"Oh, don't worry," Graypaw mewed in his ear. "They can't blame you for that." Ravenpaw lowered his head further. _I hope so._

Whitestorm stood up to address Speckletail's question. "It was all a misunderstanding. And it worked out after all; Brokenstar is gone, and that is due in no small part to the actions of Dustpaw and Graypaw. They convinced us of the truth behind Yellowfang's words, and led the way to ShadowClan's camp without hesitation."

Turning to Whitestorm from her place upon the Highrock, Bluestar gained a thoughtful look. "Whitestorm, you saw Dustpaw and Graypaw take part in the battle tonight. Did they fight well?"

"Like warriors," Whitestorm responded, meeting her gaze solemnly. Ravenpaw felt his stomach flip over as he realized what was about to come next.

Whitestorm turned and beckoned the two apprentices forward, and a cold space appeared next to Ravenpaw as Graypaw left his side.

Bluestar looked up at the growing light of Silverpelt in the now cloudless, clear night sky. When the apprentices had made their way over to stand at the foot of the Highrock, she began to speak: "I, Bluestar, leader of ThunderClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on these two apprentices. They have trained hard to understand the ways of your noble code, and I commend them to you as warriors in their turn." Looking down at Dustpaw and Graypaw, she paused. "Dustpaw, Graypaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code and to protect and defend this Clan, even at the cost of your lives?"

"I do." Dustpaw's mew was strong and fervent.

"I do." Graypaw responded, tail flicking and fur bristling.

"Then by the powers of StarClan I give you your warrior names: Graypaw, from this moment you will be known as Graystripe. StarClan honors your bravery and your strength, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." Bluestar stepped forward to stand in front of Graystripe, and the newly made warrior licked her shoulder respectfully as she placed her muzzle on his head.

Graystripe padded back to join the other warriors, leaving Dustpaw standing alone in front of Bluestar. The brown tabby apprentice sat straight and tall as he met Bluestar's gaze. "Dustpaw, from this moment you will be known as Dustpelt. StarClan honors your bravery and your honesty, and we welcome you as a full warrior of ThunderClan." She rested her muzzle on Dustpelt's head, and Ravenpaw could hear a purr emanating from his brother's chest as he bent to lick her shoulder.

The Clan began to chant the names of the Clan's newest warriors. "Dustpelt! Graystripe! Dustpelt! Graystripe!" Ravenpaw added his voice to his Clanmates, feeling a strange mix of happiness and grief wash over him. Both of the warriors' original mentors along with Dustpelt's parents had died, and Ravenpaw hoped that they were watching this moment from StarClan.

Ravenpaw tried to catch Dustpelt's gaze, but his brother looked straight past him to share a dignified nod with Darkstripe.

Sandpaw walked forward to congratulate the new warriors. She gave Dustpelt a friendly nudge, a purr rising from deep in her throat, but as she stepped back Ravenpaw noticed that she was glaring bitterly at both Dustpelt and Graystripe. Ravenpaw could understand her envy; after all, he had been training for even longer than she had. But he hadn't proven himself in the battle with ShadowClan, and even he recognized that he still was not ready to become a warrior just yet.

Ravenpaw padded up to Dustpelt and Graystripe. "Congratulations," he meowed earnestly. Dustpelt was avoiding his gaze.

"You should be here as well." Graystripe's eyes were bright, and somehow he looked older than he had even a day ago.

"No," replied Ravenpaw. "I haven't earned it yet." He touched his nose to Graystripe's ear, and he could hear a purr rumbling in his friend's chest. Dustpelt still wasn't looking at him, so he padded to his side and mewed in a hushed voice: "I was telling the truth." Dustpelt's ears swiveled in Ravenpaw's direction, but he still ignored him. Feeling a twinge of sadness, Ravenpaw padded away.

Longtail and Darkstripe were settled underneath an overhanging tree branch on the opposite side of camp. Apparently with the danger with ShadowClan having passed, it had been decided that Bluestar no longer needed guards.

With a groan, Ravenpaw slumped over next to the apprentices' den. The ache in his paws had eased, but the one in his heart had not. He had nearly caused a war with ShadowClan, Dustpelt still thought he was a liar, and Graystripe was a warrior now, so he wouldn't be training with him anymore. Worst of all, Tigerclaw was still his mentor.

Ravenpaw glanced over at the dark brown tabby tom. He was talking to Mousefur, and from the way it looked it seemed to be an innocuous conversation, so different from the way things had been. At the sight, Ravenpaw was able to push aside his worry. Perhaps Tigerclaw would finally leave him in peace after he had acted so clearly for the benefit of his Clan.

Watching his Clanmates conversations all around him, Ravenpaw decided that he should apologize to Bluestar. After all, he had almost caused a war with ShadowClan. He found Bluestar sitting at the base of the Highrock talking to Willowpelt. From their friendly mews, Ravenpaw could tell it wasn't about anything serious.

Padding up, he dipped his head respectfully. "Bluestar, may I speak with you?"

"Of course," she meowed. "Come." She nodded at Willowpelt, and then led Ravenpaw into her den and settled herself to face him. She said nothing, waiting for Ravenpaw to start.

"I'm sorry," he began, bowing his head. "I truly thought that Graypaw and Dustpaw had been captured. I didn't mean to cause such a big uproar."

When he looked up, Bluestar shook her head. "No, Ravenpaw," she meowed. "It was entirely reasonable that you would think what you did, given what happened. As heroic as Yellowfang was, she wasn't very clear about her intentions."

In spite of Bluestar's reassurance, Ravenpaw felt a wave of self-doubt course through him. "I should have waited," he growled, digging his claws into the floor of the den. "If I had just given them the chance to explain!" He lashed his tail, whipping up dust from the ground.

Bluestar raised a paw to stop him from continuing. "No harm came of it," she assured him. "Any cat would want to escape from enemies they believed were holding them hostage." Breathing out, Ravenpaw relaxed. Bluestar wasn't angry with him like he had thought she would be, but she was still scrutinizing him. They sat in silence for an awkward moment.

Bluestar narrowed her eyes, tilting her head. "Ravenpaw, I've been meaning to speak with you before now, but the last few days have been. . . busy, to say the least." She closed her eyes, deep in thought, and when she opened them she allowed her gaze to search Ravenpaw's. "I've noticed some cats have been distancing themselves from you. Is everything alright?"

Ravenpaw weighed his options. He could tell her everything now; there were no other cats that would overhear them with her guards no longer in place. But he was still hesitant.

"I know they've been saying things," he replied evasively. Redtail's murder had been a constant presence in the back of his mind for moons now. His heart pounded at the clear chance to tell his leader the truth. But what if she didn't believe him? Bluestar had clearly trusted Tigerclaw enough to make him her deputy; she might not take an accusation from an apprentice seriously. And what if Tigerclaw had told her about the hunting mission in ShadowClan territory? She might think that Ravenpaw was trying to distract the Clan from his own treachery by accusing Tigerclaw, just like Dustpelt had thought!

More problems occurred to him the more he thought about it. Even if Tigerclaw hadn't spread the news to her, in order to explain his Clanmates' suspicions he would have to admit that he had hunted in ShadowClan territory, and if Bluestar didn't believe that Tigerclaw had sent him and it wasn't his own idea. . . Ravenpaw shivered. Terrible scenarios played out in his head of Bluestar banishing him from ThunderClan, forcing him to live the rest of his life as a rogue, an enemy of his kin, although if that happened he would at least be safe from Tigerclaw. But what if- Ravenpaw gulped as he realized the most terrible possibility of all- Bluestar went straight to his mentor and divulged his accusations to Tigerclaw himself?! He would be dead for sure!

_You can't tell her,_ he told himself. _And besides, it will be okay now. The Clan is figuring out that you're not a traitor, and soon things will be back to normal._

Bluestar was still holding his gaze, waiting for an answer. Ravenpaw felt a pang of anguish. He couldn't reveal his secret. "But it's fine," he finished lamely. "I-I'll be alright."

She gazed at him for a long moment, looking as though she was going to question him further, before she blinked. "Very well. Go get some rest. It's been a long day for all of us."

"Yes, Bluestar." He gave her a respectful nod and backed out of her den. Sighing, Ravenpaw slid past his Clanmates, who were still murmuring quietly to each other.

Picking up one of the few remaining pieces of prey in the fresh-kill pile, he made his way back to the apprentices' den, his paws dragging. He flopped to his side and ate his meal in slow, deliberate bites. Exhaustion flowed through every part of his body; even his jaws ached.

Goldenflower, Speckletail, and Willowpelt were lounging next to the nursery. Goldenflower flicked her ears in Ravenpaw's direction. The other she-cats followed her gaze, and then turned back to their conversation, their tails twitching. They seemed to realize that something wasn't adding up. Perhaps they thought that Ravenpaw could have been leading them into a trap that in the chaos of the battle didn't occur? But then why would he have come back at all to warn them? Hopefully now they realized the rumors weren't true and that he wasn't a traitor.

Stretching his sore limbs, Ravenpaw groggily made his way to the edge of the camp to bury the remnants of his meal. There were mews coming from just outside the camp boundary. Pricking his ears, Ravenpaw recognized the voices of Tigerclaw and Darkstripe.

"-still dangerous-" Tigerclaw was meowing. A gust of wind rustled the trees, muffling Tigerclaw's deep voice. "-little stunt got the rest of the Clan convinced, but I know what I saw-" Ravenpaw heard his mentor's voice rumbling, but couldn't make out the individual words.

The wind died down. Darkstripe was speaking now, his mew high and incredulous, "-on ShadowClan territory, for StarClan's sake! The traitorous coward-" Ravenpaw's eyes flew open. They couldn't be talking about him, could they?

"-personally, I wouldn't be surprised if they were working together-" Tigerclaw's meow was low and smooth. Ravenpaw strained his ears to hear more, but the wind was too strong.

Uneasiness prickled his pelt. Even after everything that had happened, were his Clanmates still listening to Tigerclaw's lies?

Ravenpaw made his way back to the apprentices' den, and eventually fell into a troubled sleep. Tigerclaw was still planting seeds of doubt into the minds of his Clanmates.

* * *

He was jolted awake by a paw jabbing his side. Looking up blearily, Ravenpaw noticed Tigerclaw's pale eyes glowing in the entrance to the apprentices' den. He beckoned Ravenpaw out with his tail.

He poked his head out, wariness pricking at his paws. Aside from Tigerclaw, the only cats still in the clearing were Dustpelt and Graystripe, and their backs were turned against the apprentices' end of the camp.

"You didn't hunt at all yesterday." Tigerclaw's eyes gleamed in the deep, black night.

Ravenpaw looked down, blinking. "I didn't have time," he mewed softly. "There was so much going on."

"Time for some night-time hunting then," growled Tigerclaw. "Take the path to the Owltree and hunt there."

Knowing there was no point in arguing, Ravenpaw dipped his head. "Yes, Tigerclaw."

As Ravenpaw began to approach the gorse tunnel he realized he should be cautious. What if Tigerclaw followed him? He looked back to see Tigerclaw pushing his way into the warriors' den, stifling a yawn. Ravenpaw's shoulders relaxed. Tigerclaw clearly wasn't about to shadow him.

Ravenpaw slipped out of camp. Hopefully he could bring back enough prey to satisfy his mentor.

The moon bathed the forest in an eerie silver light on the trees as he made his way through the territory. The trees were noticeably thinner than they had been in green-leaf, although Ravenpaw could still hear their few remaining foliage rustling during small gusts of wind. A thick bed of leaves had formed on the forest floor, allowing him to pad silently in the darkness.

He passed straight by the sandy hollow and continued toward the Owltree.

His fur prickled. He sensed that he was being watched.

A twig snapped, echoing like a thunderclap through the silence. Ravenpaw spun around, hackles raised. "Who's there?"

The forest didn't respond to his question, but the air felt static somehow, like there was another cat present.

It had been too good to be true. _He's going to kill me!_ Suddenly overcome by fear, Ravenpaw bounded through the forest, trying to put as much distance as he could between himself and the sound. He kept going until he reached the Owltree and then went further. Soon he had put the Owltree out of sight, and satisfied that he had left whatever it was behind, slowed to a stop. _It was probably just my mind playing tricks on me, that's all_.

But it wasn't long before the sound of dead leaves crackling ruffled his ear fur, and he was instantly on alert again.

Slinking around a clump of brambles, he opened his mouth to taste the air.

He nearly bolted when he identified a ThunderClan scent. Feeling a wave of dread, Ravenpaw sniffed the air again. When he identified the scent he frowned.

"Oh hi, Darkstripe," he mewed breathlessly as the familiar dark warrior slipped out of the shadows. _Just a Clanmate,_ Ravenpaw told himself, trying to flatten his bristling fur. _Nothing to worry about._

But the look in Darkstripe's eyes didn't reassure him. "Hello, traitor." Darkstripe tilted his head and took a pace forward. Ravenpaw shifted away, alarm fluttering in his chest. "Tigerclaw thought you'd be here. Off to conspire with ShadowClan again, are we?"

Darkstripe leaped at him, claws extended. Ravenpaw turned tail and ran.


	22. Chapter 21

Heart pounding, Ravenpaw ran as fast as he could, trees blurring before his eyes. He was being chased like prey through the forest, and his paws beat against the ground like a frightened rabbit's heartbeat. Tigerclaw had sent Darkstripe to murder him. Why hadn't he told Bluestar everything when he had had the chance?! But there was no time to think about that now.

Ravenpaw quickly glanced back over his shoulder. Darkstripe, being full grown and not tired from crossing back and forth across the territory three times in one day like Ravenpaw had, was gaining on him, and fast.

His only hope was to get back to camp. Ravenpaw chanced another look over his shoulder and let out a squeak of alarm. Darkstripe was matching him step for step a few foxlengths away through the screen of trees and undergrowth.

He kept on, his exhausted muscles screaming at him to stop.

"Traitor!" Ravenpaw heard Darkstripe's hiss from behind him, frighteningly close now. "Thought you'd meet with ShadowClan tonight?" Suddenly he was thrown off his feet and onto the ground.

"No! Please! I was just hunting!" But it was no use.

Ravenpaw gasped as Darkstripe sank his claws into his fur. He managed to wriggle out from between Darkstripe's paws, and he darted away into the undergrowth, a roar of fury reaching his ears from behind. Crashing through the bushes, Ravenpaw sprinted in a straight line, ignoring the familiar paths ThunderClan cats usually followed through the woods. _StarClan help me! Please!  
_

Darkstripe was catching up again; Ravenpaw could tell by his scent. They had reached an open area with several tall oak trees when dark gray blur edged into his vision. Without hesitating, Ravenpaw swerved and ran straight up the side of a tree.

He frantically clawed his way up the oak, trying to scale the branches quickly to conceal his location. Detecting a hiss of annoyance from below, Ravenpaw flattened himself against the bark. Had Darkstripe seen where he'd gone?

"You know Tigerclaw saw you the other day, going to visit your ShadowClan friends." Darkstripe's yowl carried through the tree branches. "Maybe that would be best for you, Ravenpaw- just go home to ShadowClan. Climb down to the bottom of the tree and I'll let you go. I'll even deliver you there myself."

Ravenpaw screwed up his eyes, shuddering. _Yeah, he would. My dead body._

Chancing a peek through the leaves, Ravenpaw could see Darkstripe pacing at the foot of the tree. The dark warrior was gazing upward, trying to peer through the canopy. "Come out, come out, little traitor," he called menacingly. "You can't hide forever!"

Ravenpaw pressed himself into the crook where the branch met the tree trunk, shaking. He had to get out of this tree sometime, but how? Darkstripe would see him as soon as he emerged from the obscuring branches. Maybe if he waited long enough Darkstripe would leave to look for him somewhere else. From the volume of Darkstripe's threats though, Ravenpaw could tell he hadn't moved more than a few fox-lengths. Darkstripe knew he was in this tree.

Ravenpaw looked around, noticing another tree next to his. Its outer branches were only a fox-length away from the tree he was trapped on. An idea floated into his mind. He could jump between them and then race to the ground on the other side before Darkstripe noticed anything.

_Ravenpaw, are you mad?_ he asked himself. _There's no way you can make that jump._ He shook his head to clear it, trying to ignore his doubtful inner voice. _You'll die if you fall!_ his mind continued. Ravenpaw shot back. _I'll die anyway if Darkstripe gets to me!_

He swiveled his head around as quietly as he could, trying to trace a path to make the leap. He noticed a thick branch a few fox-lengths away. Pressing himself against the tree trunk, and hoping that his pelt blended in enough that Darkstripe wouldn't notice his movement, he tentatively began to creep up the tree.

Step by step, Ravenpaw made his way up the oak's winding branches. Darkstripe's yowls had faded now that there was more tree between them muffling the sound. Ravenpaw glanced down at the forest floor. He was even higher than he had been during his tree climbing lesson, and he crouched close to the bark, suddenly very dizzy.

The limbs of the other tree, a birch, waved in the breeze, almost as though they were inviting him to join them. But Ravenpaw knew it wouldn't be so easy. One wrong move, one whisker length too short or too far, and he would be dead.

Darkstripe's yowling had stopped now. The gap yawned in front of him. Ravenpaw narrowed his eyes, his attention turned to the jump he was about to attempt. The branch he was trying to reach was about a fox-length below him, but three times that distance away straight ahead. A light gust of wind shook the branch he was on, and he dug his claws into the branch as it swung.

_Don't do it!_ he shrieked to himself. _Oh StarClan, please, I don't want to die like this!_ His legs shook as he eyed the gap between the trees.

_Go on, Ravenpaw,_ meowed a voice that sounded strangely similar to Lionheart. _Just like you practiced._

He was going mad imagining his former deputy in his panic, but he argued back anyway. _I can't._

_Yes, you can,_ the familiar calming voice replied. Ravenpaw stared down the jump between the two branches, and was brought back to his first day of tree climbing practice. _Remember, be aware of where your paws end up._

He watched the branch rustling in the wind, imagining how he'd move his legs when he jumped, how he'd position his tail for balance, how he'd reach out with his claws to land. . .

_Go on._

His focus was entirely on the gap between the two trees now. The wind ruffled his fur as he balanced precariously on the branch. Bunching his muscles, he pinpointed the exact spot he wanted to land. With his target in mind, he took one final breath, and leaped.

Ravenpaw was falling. Time seemed to stretch out. For a single terrifying moment he thought he had misjudged his jump, and closed his eyes so he wouldn't see the ground rushing up to meet him.

Then he slammed into the branch. He nearly slipped off the edge as it shook from his landing, before he dug his claws into it and scrabbled up.

Breathing heavily, Ravenpaw took in his surroundings. He'd made it! He'd crossed the gap and reached the other tree. But Darkstripe had heard him; Ravenpaw could tell from the renewed jeering rising up from the ground.

Or was it from the ground? With a jolt of horror, he realized that Darkstripe's voice was closer now. He glanced back at the tree he had left moments before to see a dark shape making its way up, following in his pawsteps, about to make the same leap as he had between the trees.

He didn't have time to hesitate. This would be his only chance to outspeed Darkstripe. Ravenpaw bounded down the side of the oak, traversing the branches in great leaps.

Halfway down the tree he heard a creaking branch send shockwaves through the air. Realizing that Darkstripe must have made it to the birch tree, Ravenpaw redoubled his efforts to descend it, now hearing the rustling of branches from above him. Half leaping, half falling, Ravenpaw continued his descent, and with a final spring made it to the forest floor.

But somehow Darkstripe was only fox-lengths behind him now. He hadn't realized the dark warrior was so close. Ravenpaw tore his eyes away from the image of the Darkstripe making his way down the tree in smooth bounds, and pelted away toward the camp.

His legs threatened to give out as he raced on. _Just a little farther,_ Ravenpaw thought.

Darkstripe careened into him from behind. Ravenpaw struggled as as Darkstripe slid his teeth around his throat, but Ravenpaw caught his attacker's side with his unsheathed hind claws. Although he didn't make a scratch through Darkstripe's fur, his battering paws loosened the tom's claw-hold. Before Darkstripe could bite down all the way, Ravenpaw jerked free and was grazed by sharp teeth. He let out a choked yowl.

He pelted away again, gasping. The wound in his neck was leaving a trail of blood droplets as he ran; Darkstripe would be able to follow him easily.

Ravenpaw moved haphazardly through the forest now, not even able to run straight anymore. He put his final reserve of energy into one last sprint. He was getting close to the camp now, he had to be. "Help!" he wailed, praying that someone- anyone- would hear his cry. Darkstripe suddenly appeared from the undergrowth ahead of him.

Ravenpaw tried to scramble away, but Darkstripe was already upon him. The dark warrior pinned him down and raised his paw, poised to give a killing blow.

_This is it._

Then a deep voice rang in his ears. "What in the name of StarClan are you doing?!"

Darkstripe's grip eased. Ravenpaw broke away, trembling. In his daze, he looked around, barely able to believe what he saw. It was Whitestorm.

"Darkstripe, what is this?" spat Whitestorm, his pale yellow eyes still trained on the black striped warrior. Behind him Willowpelt and Mousefur emerged. Ravenpaw stared, unable to move. He had never been so happy to see other cats in his entire life.

Darkstripe spun around, his eyes still wild. "Ravenpaw a traitor." There was a flurry of stifled gasps from the she-cats; Ravenpaw couldn't tell if they were surprised by Darkstripe's revelation or by the fact that Darkstripe's muzzle was covered in blood. "He was on his way to meet with ShadowClan, so I stopped him!"

"I was just hunting!" Ravenpaw protested. Trembling, he tried to shift himself further away from Darkstripe.

"He's tried to kill him. Great StarClan!" Willowpelt mewed, sounding stunned. She stalked forward to stand in front of Ravenpaw, shielding him from Darkstripe. Mousefur did the same a moment later.

"Ravenpaw, are you alright?" Whitestorm's mew echoed strangely in Ravenpaw's ears.

He tried to answer with a yes, but found that he couldn't speak, so he nodded, sending a trickle of blood to the ground. All three of the newly arrived ThunderClan warriors looked ready to pounce at Darkstripe, who was still recoiling from them, his eyes flaring with anger.

"He deserved it," the dark warrior sputtered, his eyes flitting from one warrior to the next. "He's a traitor, I'm telling you! Haven't you heard what he's done-" Letting out a wordless growl, Willowpelt bunched her muscles to spring.

Whitestorm held out his tail to stop her. "No," he growled, his eyes glinting like steel. "We'll take him back to camp. Bluestar will decide what happens to him." He turned to Mousefur. "Help Ravenpaw. That looks like a nasty wound."

Ravenpaw noted dully that blood was dribbling down his neck and onto his chest. "I can walk," he meowed. As he tried to stand on all fours, the world swayed around him. Mousefur darted to his side before he fell.

Whitestorm watched Darkstripe grimly, before flicking his tail to signal the patrol to start walking. Even in his confused mental state, Ravenpaw knew Darkstripe's actions were going to change ThunderClan forever.


	23. Chapter 22

Ravenpaw hobbled unsteadily, Mousefur padding next to him. He was certain that he would have been unable to make the trip home without Mousefur to lean on.

Surrounded by Whitestorm on one side and Willowpelt on the other, Darkstripe padded ahead of him, expressionless. The dark warrior was being followed so closely by the two other ThunderClan warriors that he slipped on a bramble, unable to change paths. Darkstripe spat at his Clanmates when he stumbled, but Whitestorm and Willowpelt paid him no heed.

The sun was just barely peeking over the horizon when they reached the camp. Whitestorm hauled Darkstripe to the front of the Highrock. Ravenpaw collapsed to his side, still out of breath. He was vaguely aware that the flow of blood dribbling from his neck had slowed.

"Some cat get Yellowfang!" Mousefur called, still not leaving Ravenpaw's side. "We need a medicine cat right now!" The scent of blood must have woken her already though, for even before the sound of Mousefur's yowl she had come running as fast as her old legs would allow.

Bluestar emerged from her den, immediately alert. "What's going on?"

"I'll tell you what's going on!" Whitestorm snarled from where he was standing guard over Darkstripe. "This cat tried to kill an apprentice!" The white warrior flicked his tail at Darkstripe, his ears flat and teeth drawn back in a snarl. Ravenpaw noted absently that he had never heard the normally calm warrior so outraged.

"What?" Bluestar appeared to be in shock as she looked back and forth between Darkstripe crouched in the dust, and Ravenpaw lying on the ground, blood drying on his neck.

Yellowfang had finally reached him, and approached to sniff the wound. Ravenpaw was so numb that he didn't register that he was still afraid of her. "It's serious," she mewed after a short examination, "but not life threatening. I'll need cobwebs." Dustpelt rose from where he had been keeping his vigil and with a nod to Yellowfang, ran to the medicine den. He returned with a paw full of cobwebs, which he passed to Yellowfang without a word. He then padded back to where he had been sitting before.

The entire Clan had left their dens at the sound of the commotion by now. Tigerclaw had been among the last, his amber eyes gleaming with horror. When Ravenpaw saw him his heart skipped a beat. Tigerclaw's dismay was definitely not out of concern for his well-being. He had planned this and now that it had gone wrong, he must be worried. Ravenpaw wondered if this could be his chance to tell the Clan the truth about Redtail. But what if they didn't believe him?

"What happened?" Bluestar asked, turning to Ravenpaw.

"T- Tigerclaw sent me to hunt," Ravenpaw whispered. "He told me to look for prey by the Owltree. I had just passed it when Darkstripe... when..." he broke off, shuddering. His eyes rolled back in his head, and he felt his legs give out, but before he toppled over Mousefur appeared at his side, steadying him.

His vision cleared, and he was still trembling when Bluestar padded up to him. "Ravenpaw?" she mewed gently. "Did Darkstripe do this to you?"

Ravenpaw nodded, unable to speak.

"It's true," Mousefur put in. "We found him just in time. He was just about to give Ravenpaw the killing blow." Horrified murmurs rippled through the air. Frostfur and Goldenflower meowed concernedly to each other, while Dustpelt looked on, bristling, his eyes wide with an emotion that Ravenpaw couldn't read.

Ravenpaw felt the pressure on his neck ease as Yellowfang got up and mewed to Bluestar, "I've applied cobwebs to stop the bleeding. I'll need to treat the wound with an herb poultice later, but he will be fine. It didn't puncture his airway." In spite of the seriousness of the situation, Ravenpaw recognized the strangeness that he of all cats had ended up as Yellowfang's first patient as medicine cat of ThunderClan.

Bluestar nodded at Yellowfang in response. "Thank you, Yellowfang." The old she-cat dipped her head and retreated to the edge of the crowd. The camp was humming discontented murmurs. Ravenpaw could hear some of their words.

"What was Darkstripe thinking?" growled Patchpelt.

"He went mad," Dappletail meowed back. "There's no other explanation."

As the muttering continued, Bluestar bounded up the Highrock. She didn't bother to call the usual summons since every ThunderClan cat was already present. Instead she raised her tail to draw the attention of the crowd. The meowing slowly stopped as one by one the cats noticed her signal. Bluestar's quiet mew carried across the stillness of the camp. "Darkstripe, why have you done this?" Her eyes glinted dangerously as she looked down.

Darkstripe had trouble forming a coherent statement. "I- I-" For a moment he tried to speak, but nothing seemed to come out. "He was a traitor!" Darkstripe finally burst out. He spun away from Bluestar and turned to face Tigerclaw, searching for support from his former mentor. "He was spying for ShadowClan! You said so yourself- he was working with Yellowfang . . ." Ravenpaw shrank back from the old she-cat even though she was halfway across the clearing. Darkstripe stared imploringly at Tigerclaw, but the dark brown tabby deputy was shaking his head.

"No, you said these things," Tigerclaw told him, an edge of sadness seeming to creep into his mew. "I did not realize you believed them so strongly that you would take the matter into your own paws."

A look of stunned horror appeared on Darkstripe's face. "Wha- no! Tigerclaw, you told us! We've all heard about Ravenpaw's treachery." Darkstripe raised his voice, seeming to be trying to speak to the entire Clan. "He said that he saw Ravenpaw crossing the Thunderpath into ShadowClan territory!" Darkstripe swung around. "Longtail, you were there! You heard Tigerclaw saying these things."

"No, you fox-hearted fool!" Longtail spat, his tail shaking. "Are you insane? We were all suspicious of him, but to murder him in cold blood! Great StarClan! You should have told someone if you were that worried about Ravenpaw's loyalties."

Darkstripe lashed his tail, fear in his eyes for the first time as his Clanmates turned on him. "Tigerclaw told me to do it." Caterwauls of disbelief ascended into the morning sky. Darkstripe attempted to yowl above them unsuccessfully. Ravenpaw could only hear the last part of his statement. "-no, it's true! The accusations were all Tigerclaw's! It was him!"

Bluestar let out a yowl for silence. The Clan quieted down and Bluestar fixed her gaze on Tigerclaw, waiting for what he would say next. Ravenpaw's heart fluttered with hope. Could Tigerclaw's treachery be revealed today as well? Ravenpaw prepared himself to speak up but before he could, the Clan's attention turned to Tigerclaw.

The dark tabby warrior was shaking his head. "No, Darkstripe," he began. "While I did discuss your accusations with many cats, I did not make them up. I, like you, wanted to determine if your suspicions were correct. What reason would I have to sabotage my own apprentice?" Tigerclaw glanced around solemnly, and then turned back to Darkstripe. "You are the one who told me these things, Darkstripe. You told the whole Clan these lies." In spite of his daze, Ravenpaw suppressed an angry retort. _Tigerclaw_ had probably started the rumors, not Darkstripe! "Those accusations were serious and I agreed with you," Tigerclaw continued, "but after yesterday's and certainly today's events, it is clear that you have lost your mind. You attempted to murder a Clanmate!"

A low chant began to spiral into the air. "Traitor! Traitor!" Ravenpaw trembled. Although he was glad that the Clan believed in Darkstripe's guilt, it had taken only a few choice words from Tigerclaw to persuade them. How would Ravenpaw ever be able to convince them that Tigerclaw had betrayed his Clan as well when they trusted the dark warrior so completely?

Bluestar flicked her tail for silence. When the gathered cats had quieted down, she spoke, her voice clear and authoritative. "Darkstripe, do you have anything to say for yourself?"

"No, this can't... No." Darkstripe looked around at the angry faces, seemingly incredulous at the turn of events. He shot Tigerclaw a look of pure disbelief and rage. Ravenpaw heard Darkstripe's hiss. "It was him," he insisted, pointing with his tail at Tigerclaw. "It was his idea, I swear it!" Following Darkstripe's gaze to Tigerclaw, Ravenpaw shivered. He knew that Darkstripe was telling the truth.

Taking a deep breath, Bluestar looked down on the crowd of ThunderClan cats. "Darkstripe, you have left me no choice," she meowed sadly. "You were a great warrior, an asset to ThunderClan, but your actions today have made it clear that at some point, your warrior spirit and Clan loyalty was lost." Bluestar paused as the clearing seemed to hold its breath. "I hereby sentence you to exile," she declared solemnly. "From this moment you are no longer a member of ThunderClan. Leave now, and know that if you are found on our territory after sunset today, you will be treated as our enemy."

Staring at the ground ahead of him, Darkstripe made no attempt to move. He seemed to be more in shock than Ravenpaw had ever been.

"Did you not hear Bluestar?" spat Goldenflower from her spot with the queens. Glancing in their direction, Ravenpaw noticed the enraged expression on all of the queens' faces, even Speckletail's. Darkstripe sat as though made of stone, his eyes blank.

Mousefur glared at the now former ThunderClan cat. "Go on, traitor. Leave!" Mousefur's yowl initiated a fresh barrage of insults aimed at the black and gray striped tom. Dustpelt said nothing, but pointedly turned his back on his former mentor.

Darkstripe began to pad away, seeming to focus on every individual pawstep and ignoring the howls of his former Clanmates. A snarl became etched in his face as more and more cats hurled insults at him. Slitting his eyes when he passed Tigerclaw, he let out a low hiss at the cat who had once been his mentor. "You know what you said. I trusted you." With one last betrayed look, Darkstripe stalked the rest of the way to the edge of the camp and disappeared into the gorse tunnel.

The jeering died away, leaving behind a deep silence. "Now what?" Sandpaw meowed.

Shooting a glance at Ravenpaw, Longtail padded forward, seemingly reluctant to speak. "I know Darkstripe was wrong to try to kill Ravenpaw but..."

"But what?" Goldenflower growled.

"He was telling the truth about Ravenpaw being on ShadowClan territory. When Ravenpaw came back from hunting the other night, we could scent the ShadowClan scent on his prey that night; he did catch them on ShadowClan territory."

Bluestar blinked in surprise. "Ravenpaw, is this true?"

Ravenpaw shuffled his paws, glancing at the ground. "Yes."

Before any cat could say anything else, Dustpelt spoke up from where he had been sitting next to Graystripe. "He said he did it under your orders," Dustpelt meowed directly to Tigerclaw. The Clan murmured in bewilderment and concern. Could Darkstripe have been telling the truth after all?

For the first time Ravenpaw could see uneasiness flicker in Bluestar's eyes. "Tigerclaw?"

Tigerclaw sighed and made his way to the top of the Highrock to stand next to Bluestar. Shaking his head slowly, he turned and faced the Clan. "It was merely a training session in which I hoped to give Ravenpaw an understanding of ShadowClan's hunting techniques," he explained. "I only wished for him to hunt near their territory within ThunderClan's hunting grounds, where the terrain is most similar to theirs. I did not realize that Ravenpaw was so dimwitted as to actually enter their territory."

A bolt of anger blazed through Ravenpaw like a raging fire. This cat had plotted to murder him and was now calling him a mousebrain? And his Clanmates didn't even care that his mentor was openly insulting him. Although Bluestar gave a concerned tail flick, they all seemed to agree with him. To them, Ravenpaw realized, he must appear to be a complete idiot.

Tigerclaw continued solemnly. "In the wake of last night's events, I apologize for the terrible misunderstanding this has caused." The dark tabby warrior bowed his head to Bluestar, the gathered cats, and Ravenpaw in turn. Ravenpaw gazed blankly at his mentor while the Clan murmured in response. The Clan clearly did not blame Tigerclaw in the slightest for the Darkstripe's actions, and Ravenpaw's fur prickled as they accepted Tigerclaw's explanation without question.

Cats were glancing worriedly at each other, not seeming to know what to do. They looked around as though seeing their Clanmates for the first time, wondering how their denmate could such have darkness in his heart.

Bluestar raised her head to address the distressed ThunderClan cats. "ThunderClan, I will not pretend that this is not a terrible blow," she admitted. "Darkstripe lived in ThunderClan for his entire life and never gave any sign that he was capable of this. To have a trusted warrior betray a Clan is among the worst things that can happen in the forest. I hoped to never see the day that such a thing occurred in ThunderClan." Ravenpaw's ears twitched at the irony. There was another warrior that had betrayed ThunderClan in the same way as Darkstripe, and he was standing right next to her.

His Clanmates seemed soothed by her words though, and when she paused Tigerclaw drew himself up to his full height to speak. "As difficult as this is, we must go on," he meowed from beside Bluestar, his large frame casting a long shadow in the morning sun. "Darkstripe was my apprentice and I never questioned his loyalty until this day. This shows us that without the guidance of our Clan, we are nothing . . ." Ravenpaw's ears twitched as Tigerclaw continued, feeling sickened by his speech. _Empty words._ He knew that Tigerclaw only cared for his own power.

"Well said, Tigerclaw." Bluestar nodded to her deputy when he'd finished. "We will continue to hunt and patrol our borders. We will go on. This will not destroy us, but make us stronger. Remember the camaraderie we all felt last night at Dustpelt's and Graystripe's warrior ceremony. That will not leave us just because we have lost one warrior." The ThunderClan cats were nodding and murmuring, their eyes filled with hope. "And now," Bluestar continued. "We must perform our duties to our Clan. There are borders to patrol, and prey to hunt. May StarClan guide us." Bluestar leaped down from the Highrock. After a moment, Tigerclaw followed, muscles rippling across his pelt in the rising sun's light.

The gathered cats started to dissipate from the center of the clearing. Tigerclaw began to organize patrols, and all of a sudden it was almost like any other day.

"Whitestorm, lead a patrol along the Twolegplace border," Tigerclaw ordered. "Take Runningwind and Sandpaw with you."

Whitestorm nodded, and he began to pad toward the gorse tunnel with Runningwind and Sandpaw close behind. Ravenpaw could hear their conversation as they walked past. "I wonder if we could track Darkstripe to see which direction he headed," Runningwind was mewing thoughtfully.

Sandpaw bounded after the two older warriors, her tail bushing out. "Oh, can we, please?" she begged, her tail waving at the possibility. "Maybe we can catch him!"

Whitestorm flicked her side with his tail. "Darkstripe was given one day to leave our territory," he reminded her. "We can't chase him off until sunset tonight."

Runningwind dug his claws into the ground. "Well, we'll see what happens if we meet him before then."

Feeling a gentle nudge to his side, Ravenpaw turned. "Are you going to get that checked out?" asked Graystripe, indicating the cobweb covered neck wound with his tail.

"Yes," Ravenpaw assured him.

"Well I'm glad you're okay." Graystripe gave Ravenpaw's ear an affectionate tail flick. "I can't believe any cat could think you're a spy." He paused. "Hey, are you alright? I know you don't like Yellowfang but maybe you should go see her soon. I can come with if you want."

"Oh I will, don't worry," Ravenpaw replied, feeling rather touched by Graystripe's concern. "I er . . . wanted to talk to Dustpelt first actually. Have you seen him?"

Graystripe flicked his tail to a spot near the Highrock, where Dustpelt had risen to his paws. "He's probably going to the warriors' den to sleep for a bit now."

"Thanks," Ravenpaw mewed, beginning to pad toward the warriors' den, and then stopped when Graystripe didn't follow. "Aren't you coming? You must be tired."

Graystripe nodded. "I will. I'm going to get something to eat first."

Seeing his friend approach the fresh-kill pile, Ravenpaw felt a rush of affection. Even after everything that had happened, Graystripe's first priority was still his stomach.

Dustpelt was padding across the camp and about to enter the warriors' den when Ravenpaw limped over. After a heartbeat of hesitation, Ravenpaw followed him inside. Aside from his brother and himself the den was empty. "Dustpelt." His brother looked up, an expression Ravenpaw couldn't read playing across his face.

"You're not allowed in here." Dustpelt turned to rest his head on his paws, facing away from the entrance in one of the outer nests.

Ravenpaw stalked forward to hiss in his ear. "Do you believe me now?"

"Ravenpaw . . ." For once Dustpelt seemed at a loss for what to say. "Look," he mewed quietly. "I don't think you were entirely lying, but come on. You know there's no way that Tigerclaw would have done any of the things you said."

Ravenpaw frowned. "What do you mean 'not entirely lying'?" he argued softly. "How can you not believe me after everything Darkstripe-"

Dustpelt cut him off with a sharp hiss. "Come on, Ravenpaw, he was just trying to shift the blame. Quit being so paranoid." Flicking his ears, Dustpelt shifted deeper into his nest.

"Just tell me what you mean by 'not entirely lying'! Tell me!" Ravenpaw exclaimed in an undertone.

Dustpelt looked him face to face. "I mean that you're paranoid, Ravenpaw, and a huge scaredy mouse. There's no way the battle of Sunningrocks happened the way you said it did. You just get into such a panic that your mind reinterprets things. You actually thought that Tigerclaw wanted you to hunt on ShadowClan territory, and that's what started this whole thing in the first place."

_Tigerclaw started it!_ Ravenpaw wailed inwardly. Aloud he mewed, "He really did tell me to-"

"Just stop," snapped Dustpelt, and for the first time his gaze softened. "I'm sorry this happened to you, but there's just no way that what you told me was true. You just got so worked up that you imagined it."

"I swear I'm telling the truth," Ravenpaw meowed, his voice rising. "Please, just listen to me!"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore." Dustpelt readjusted his nest and curled his tail around his paws.

Astounded that his brother still didn't trust his words after everything, Ravenpaw blinked, a whimper rising in his throat. "But Dustpelt . . ."

Sighing, the tabby warrior rested his head on his paws again. "Can you just let me sleep now?" he growled, irritation in his mew. "I've been up the whole night."

_So have I._ Ravenpaw bit back back the sharp retort. He tore his gaze away from his brother and stepped out of the warriors' den. As he emerged into the clearing his heart felt heavy with a mix of anger and despair.

How could Dustpelt not believe him, after the night's events? Ravenpaw sighed. He supposed that it would take more than a single conversation to sway him. Tigerclaw was much more believable than he was. At least his brother didn't seem to hate him anymore. He just thought he was a mouse-heart.

And Darkstripe had been Dustpelt's mentor. Perhaps he was still in shock about the gray and black warrior's betrayal. Maybe Dustpelt would understand more clearly after time had passed. _Yes, I can convince him. He just needs time to think about it._

Limping slowly toward the medicine den, Ravenpaw glanced at Tigerclaw. His mentor was padding through the camp sharing words with his Clanmates, and not one of them suspected a thing. He shivered. If Whitestorm's hadn't taken out a night patrol on a whim, Ravenpaw would be dead now. Taking in the scent and sounds of the clearing, Ravenpaw wished he had said something during Darkstripe's interrogation. The events of the night had clearly proved that Tigerclaw was most definitely capable of murder.

Ravenpaw knew he should be afraid, but somehow he was calm. After Darkstripe's insistences that his crime had been Tigerclaw's idea, it would arouse suspicion if Ravenpaw were to suddenly drop dead. Tigerclaw wouldn't be able to arrange Ravenpaw's death so easily now. Would he?

Maybe someday, Ravenpaw realized. This morning had proven that his mentor had no reservations about betraying his own apprentices. And if Tigerclaw showed any signs of trying to get him alone, he would have to watch out.

He closed his eyes, feeling the light of the rising sun wash over him. His mind brought him back to his Clanmates that had died in the previous moons: Lionheart, Spottedleaf, Redtail. They had been strong and loyal and brave.

Ravenpaw opened his eyes, recalling his fight to live just that morning. He could be strong too. Like Lionheart.

And as much as Tigerclaw was respected by the Clan, Ravenpaw had something he didn't. Ravenpaw was loyal. Like Redtail.

Then Ravenpaw remembered the leap he'd made between the two trees in his escape from Darkstripe. He could be brave too, couldn't he? Like Spottedleaf, when she fought to stop kits from being stolen.

Ravenpaw turned around, taking in the appearance of the ThunderClan camp. The memory of Yellowfang's first day in ThunderClan suddenly burned in his mind. She had said he had the spirit of a kittypet. It wasn't true, he realized, he did have a warrior's spirit, even if his nature might hide it most of the time. It blazed through him, like it did through every loyal ThunderClan cat.

Like Spottedleaf. Like Redtail. Like Lionheart. Ravenpaw shivered, recognizing it for the first time.

It was like fire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I cannot believe it's over. Book one of the Lost Prophecy Series is complete. Thank you to everyone for your support!
> 
> So, you're probably wondering about the sequel. I wish I could give it to you guys right away, but I need to write the vast majority of it before I start posting. There are some major plot points in book 2 that need to be worked out in advance, and additionally, I'd like to be able to guarantee consistent updates. The Lost Prophecy #2: Broken Destinies will be out sometime in June.
> 
> Thanks again for your support everyone.


	24. Dustpaw Bonus Chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The sequel is out! The prologue of The Lost Prophecy #2: Broken Destinies is up, and I'll put chapter 1 out in the next day or two. 
> 
> But in the meantime, here's a bonus scene. I wished I wrote more about how Dustpaw and Yellowfang ended up befriending each other, so I thought that deserved to be expanded upon. This starts at chapter 7, the day after Yellowfang came to ThunderClan.

Dustpaw began to pad toward the gorse tunnel, going over his tasks for the day in his mind. Hunt, chase off fox, then a border patrol. It would be a busy day, but he was looking forward to it. He was most anticipating driving the fox out of ThunderClan territory; he'd never actually seen one, but he knew enough about them that he was confident he could help scare it away.

But he had to hunt for the old mange-pelt first. _Yellowfang._ Dustpaw grumbled to himself at the thought. Bluestar had announced that his warrior training would be sped up, but then moments later informed him that he as well as the rest of the apprentices would be responsible for the care of the old rogue. It made no sense to Dustpaw, and he had no desire to talk to Yellowfang beyond what was necessary; they had already gotten into quite the spat the previous night. However, Yellowfang seemed to want to talk to him; she yowled out a mocking greeting as he passed.

"Oh hello, Voleleg." Dustpaw cringed at the name. "Off to hunt for your Clan?"

Dustpaw turned. "For you, actually."

"Oh, great. I'll just resign myself to my own starvation."

Dustpaw's pelt pricked in irritation. "Actually, you should be thankful you got me to hunt for you. If you got Ravenpaw you _would_ probably starve."

Yellowfang scoffed. "Keep telling yourself that, Voleleg." Dustpaw flattened his ears; he hoped Yellowfang's derisive nicknaming wouldn't last. "You should get on it then. I want a thrush, by the way. Haven't had anything with feathers for a while."

"Too bad. You don't get a choice." Dustpaw stood up to walk away.

"What, a good hunter like you can't track a common bird through his own territory?" Yellowfang's mocking voice rang in his ears.

Dustpaw narrowed his eyes. "I could find any type of prey in the forest, and catch it _this morning._ "

Yellowfang met his eyes with a challenging glare. "Bring me a thrush and maybe I'll believe you."

"I will," Dustpaw snarled, stalking away.

He pushed his way out of the ThunderClan camp, his tail swishing against the prickly sides of the gorse tunnel. He'd show her.

Breathing in the air, he began to head deeper into the woods. There were prey scents hidden among the leafy ones, but no thrush. He frowned, deciding to circle around the far end of the territory by Twolegplace. There were plenty of thrushes on that end of ThunderClan's hunting grounds.

* * *

_Finally._ It had taken him most of the morning, but he had finally done it. A dead thrush lay at his paws, and not a moment too soon. Sunhigh had almost arrived, and Dustpaw needed to be back to camp by then if he wanted to take part in the patrol to drive the fox off ThunderClan territory.

_This will show her._ With a flash of triumph, Dustpaw picked up the thrush and carried it back to camp.

But when he dropped it in front of her, he did not get the reaction he expected.

"I thought you just hunted like a three-legged vole." Dustpaw's ears burned; the old rogue was taunting him. "I didn't think you hunted like one as well! I could have caught five pieces of prey in that amount of time when I was an apprentice!"

"Catch your own prey then!" Dustpaw snapped with a lash of his tail. _Oh but wait, you can't._ He scowled; Yellowfang had baited him into catching her choice in prey, and her only response was to mock him!

He hadn't even gotten the chance to eat himself, but there was no time now. The fox chasing patrol was waiting for him at the gorse tunnel.

His irritation must have been clear on his face, because when he approached Willowpelt she gave him a concerned look. "What's wrong?"

"The rogue," Dustpaw growled under his breath.

"That mange ridden prey thief." Darkstripe slitted his eyes, and Dustpaw felt a savage sense of pleasure that his mentor disliked the old cat more than he did. "Bluestar should never have accepted her."

Tigerclaw silenced Darkstripe with a look. "I'm sure Bluestar has her reasons. You shouldn't question our leader." Darkstripe looked suitably scolded. "Come on, let's get a move on." The patrol headed out of the camp and began to make its way toward the stream. Dustpaw sniffed as they went, but didn't detect anything indicating the presence of a fox. "Here's the plan," Tigerclaw meowed, loping at the head of the group. "We follow the scent trail as far as it leads. Once we find the fox, Willowpelt will loop around the other side and run it toward the rest of us. Darkstripe, Dustpaw, and I will attack it from the other side. We need to make sure we see it leave ThunderClan territory. Where it goes after that it doesn't matter."

"Why not just all confront it at once?" Dustpaw questioned, tipping his head.

"Foxes hate surprises," Darkstripe explained. "If we all jump out at it from different directions, it will think there are more of us than there really are. It will fear us."

"Exactly, Darkstripe." Tigerclaw nodded approvingly before he froze. "It's ahead of us," he growled, lowering his voice. "Circle around, Willowpelt."

Willowpelt bounded ahead of the group and disappeared into the undergrowth. Dustpaw and Darkstripe fell into position across from a bramble thicket, while Tigerclaw took a spot a little ways off.

As they waited, Dustpaw felt a flicker of amusement imagining Ravenpaw's reaction if he had been in the same situation. Dustpaw shook his head. His brother was a hopeless scaredy mouse.

Now a new sound rustled his ear fur- something was there. Dustpaw stared at the bramble thicket ahead of him, waiting to see Tigerclaw's and Darkstripe's response. He wanted to fight, and he would, but he was no mousebrain; he knew he didn't stand a chance in StarClan against a fox without his Clanmates.

Had Willowpelt found the fox yet? Dustpaw suddenly knew the answer when a long, narrow, red-furred snout poked out of the ferns. _Stay very still._

Suddenly the fox's head jerked in his direction.

"Attack!" Tigerclaw roared. "Drive it off!"

Dustpaw raced alongside Darkstripe, focusing on timing his paw steps. He imagined how he'd weave around the fox to give it a sharp jab to the nose, and a pang coursed through his chest. Redtail had taught him that move early on in his apprenticeship.

Now Darkstripe and Tigerclaw pulled ahead, just as Willowpelt appeared behind the fox. Darkstripe attacked from the side while Willowpelt threw herself at the fox's tail. Tigerclaw reared up on his hind paws, batting its muzzle with all his strength and leaving a gash that stretched halfway down its neck.

Dustpaw plunged into the battle. "Get out of our territory, dog-breath!" He slashed the fox across its nose as it whipped around, and then it was running.

"After it!" Tigerclaw yowled, and now the patrol was running, with Tigerclaw in the front and Dustpaw keeping pace with the rest of his Clanmates. They sped through the forest at breakneck speed, the bright red tail tip of the fox fluttering in and out of view ahead of them. Soon they reached the Thunderpath, and Dustpaw saw the fox unhesitatingly begin to race straight down the middle.

Dustpaw peered at the rapidly shrinking outline of the fox as it disappeared running down the Thunderpath. It was somewhere between ShadowClan and WindClan territory now.

"I wonder if it will run all the way to Highstones," Willowpelt murmured. "Hopefully some other cat doesn't run into it."

Darkstripe flicked his tail. "Not our problem."

As they walked back, Dustpaw yawned, looking forward to a routine evening of patrolling.

* * *

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the branches, shining into Dustpaw's eyes. It was his day to tend to Yellowfang. He was somewhat alright with this. Even though he wasn't looking forward to being at Yellowfang's beck and call, the dark gray she-cat was a change from the usual.

The old rogue's complaining began immediately when Dustpaw arrived. "My leg hurts. Have Spottedleaf show you how to make a poultice."

Grumbling, Dustpaw trudged to the medicine den. "Spottedleaf?" he called into the cavern. "Could you help me make a poultice for Yellowfang?"

Spottedleaf's amber eyes glowed in the dim light. "Her injury is bothering her?"

Dustpaw nodded.

"Okay, just a moment." Spottedleaf shuffled around, digging out a pair of long stemmed plants. Dustpaw recognized them from the first night Yellowfang had been in camp.

"Crush these and spread them evenly on her wound," Spottedleaf meowed, pushing the stems toward him.

"Thanks." Dustpaw bent down to pick up the herbs, and carried them over to Yellowfang. "Here you go," he meowed, dropping the stems at the old she-cat's paws.

Yellowfang stared at him. "Well, get on with it then, or are you going to sit here all day like a half-dead squirrel?"

Dustpaw blinked, remembering how she had wanted to do it herself her first night in the camp. "Didn't you want to make it yourself?"

"No, you do it. I put my trust," she meowed, pausing dramatically, "in your paws."

Grumbling, Dustpaw chewed the stems into a thick paste, and he leaned forward, wrinkling his nose. "Ugh." Gagging at the scent of the herbs as much as Yellowfang's fur, Dustpaw applied the poultice to the old she-cat's leg. When he was done he shook out his pelt. "Well if that's all." Dustpaw stood up.

"Oh, wait just one moment, Voleleg; you're not done." Dustpaw froze. "I have ticks. That gray apprentice was getting them out last night, but that lazy denmate of yours didn't get to all of them." Dustpaw scowled. Graypaw was more relaxed than lazy, and he wondered if maybe Yellowfang had sent him off before he was done just so Dustpaw would have to do it. "Go get some mouse bile from Spottedleaf and come back here."

He groaned, and began to lope over to the medicine den once more. This was going to be a long day. "Spottedleaf, could I get some mouse bile?" he meowed when he reached the entrance once more. "Yellowfang has ticks."

"Still?" Spottedleaf looked up from where she was sitting near the back of her den. "Hold on, I'll bring you some in just a moment." Dustpaw shifted his paws impatiently. The sooner he got this over with the better.

Soon enough, he was holding a piece of mouse bile covered moss and was heading back to Yellowfang's den. Suddenly Sandpaw stalked past, her tail lashing. "That old mange pelt!" she spat. "I spend all day catching her prey and the first thing she says is it's too gristly! The nerve!"

Dustpaw grunted in agreement, setting the moss on the ground. "She's a nightmare."

"She should be thankful we didn't just drive her off our territory," Sandpaw continued, her green eyes bright with anger.

"Definitely." Dustpaw gave her a scheming glance. "I was thinking, I could just _pretend_ to treat her ticks." He shot a look at the moss resting on the ground. "How long do you think it would take before she noticed?"

"Probably awhile with her lack of grooming." Sandpaw's whiskers twitched. "Maybe you could just repeatedly act like you got all her ticks, and then find more the next day. Keep that up for a few sunrises."

Dustpaw let out a mrrow of laughter. "I wish. I doubt I could convince her for more than a day- she'd notice something was off." His pelt twitched unconsciously.

"You're right," Sandpaw meowed, sounding wistful. "But we can dream."

Dustpaw grasped the moss in his jaws, waved his tail at Sandpaw and padded away, arriving at Yellowfang's side with new energy. The old rogue still had a few ticks, but they were easy to find and Dustpaw was able to remove them quickly.

"There. All done," he meowed. "Ugh. I have to go wash this stink off my paws now."

"Catch me a mouse on the way back," Yellowfang meowed.

Dustpaw snorted. "No way. Sandpaw just brought you food." He flicked his tail toward the remnants of Yellowfang's most recent meal.

"I'm still hungry." Yellowfang swiped a paw over her matted ear. "ShadowClan apprentices are better. Much more respectful. But even then all you young cats treat tending to your elders like a chore."

"Is that why you left?" Dustpaw hissed. "Or maybe they drove you out because you're such an awful elder."

He'd hit a nerve; Yellowfang flattened her ears against her head and hissed. Without giving her a chance to reply he whipped around and stalked away, feeling a twinge of satisfaction at getting in the last word.

* * *

Later that night, Dustpaw was resting by the tree stump. His eyes were drooping when Yellowfang's piercing yowl jerked him out of his slumber. Bristling, Dustpaw stomped over to the fallen tree trunk. "What now?" he spat. He'd made her poultice, removed her ticks, and caught her enough prey to last until next sunrise. What could she even want?

Yellowfang slitted her orange eyes at him. "What, did you think I said something?"

Snorting, Dustpaw padded away. She would pay for that.

He was almost asleep when Yellowfang's grating caterwaul startled him awake.

"You woke me up!" he snarled furiously.

"But a young cat like you shouldn't need naps." Yellowfang's eyes held a mischievous glint. "Besides, I'm hungry now."

"Get something from the fresh-kill pile."

"I can't. It's empty."

"I just caught you food," Dustpaw argued. "Have Sandpaw or Graypaw do it; they're in camp."

"Nah. They'll take until after sunset." Yellowfang shook her head dismissively. "You do it." Rolling his eyes, Dustpaw began to trot away. If he was quick he could be back before the sun moved a whisker. "A blackbird would be nice," Yellowfang called out after him. Dustpaw gritted his teeth. He should never have even considered catching whatever prey she wanted before. It had proven his hunting ability, but now if he didn't catch her preferred prey she'd insult his hunting skills. _At least blackbirds are easy to find,_ Dustpaw told himself.

* * *

Several sunrises later, Dustpaw woke up early and decided to get a start on his obligatory care of Yellowfang for the day. He hoped he wouldn't be stuck in camp with her; it was tiring enough having to talk with her when he gave her prey, or so he told himself.

He hunted for Yellowfang most mornings now. Much of the time she asked for specific prey, and most of the time Dustpaw provided it.

"How about some squirrels today?" Yellowfang mewed, resting her head on her paws.

Dustpaw rolled his eyes. "Why do you always think I'm taking requests?"

"But you catch them, don't you?" Yellowfang replied, a teasing gleam in her eye.

"Fine. A squirrel."

"And make sure it's a fat one!" Yellowfang called after him. Dustpaw growled under his breath as he left, catching sight of Bluestar watching his exchange with Yellowfang. She wasn't going to tell him off for disrespecting Yellowfang, was she? But Bluestar only gave him the smallest of nods, and then she slipped away.

He wasn't truly angry now; he told himself it was because Bluestar had taken notice of the extra responsibilities he had taken upon himself in hunting for Yellowfang. It was most certainly not because he enjoyed arguing with the rogue; that would make no sense.

Dustpaw came back later that day, and Sandpaw leaped to her paws as he approached. "Thank StarClan you're back! That flea bag is impossible to deal with. She keeps yowling about being hungry. I tried to give her prey from the fresh-kill pile, but apparently that wasn't good enough for her!" Dustpaw sighed. "She told me to buzz off! The nerve!"

"Yeah," Dustpaw meowed evasively.

Dustpaw flicked his ears. Brackenkit and Swiftkit were playing Clan leader again. "Feel my teeth, Brokenstar!" yowled the small ginger tabby, pouncing onto Swiftkit's back. The kits squealed as they rolled toward the Highrock. Swiftkit threw Brackenkit from his back in a sudden movement, and the small ginger tom crashed into Yellowfang's side.

Yellowfang leaped to her paws, bristling. "Stay away from me, you scrap of fur!"

Brackenkit raced away and hid behind Speckletail, who was glaring at Yellowfang, while Swiftkit followed him more cautiously, his eyes still fixed on Yellowfang as if he expected her to attack.

Dustpaw bounded to Yellowfang's side; the she-cat was still watching the kits with an expression of hate. "What is the matter with you?" he hissed. "Do you _want_ to get kicked out of ThunderClan?" After he asked the question, Dustpaw realized that he wasn't so sure he wanted that to happen anymore. _Because having a rogue around is a change of pace,_ he told himself. _Not that I would actually care if she left._

"Just keep the kits away from me!" Yellowfang snarled. Dustpaw blinked. He had never heard her so agitated.

* * *

The next night as the full moon began to rise, Dustpaw had settled himself next to Yellowfang after a long day of training. The gray she-cat's eyes were narrowed in confusion. "Does your leader pick which cats attend the Gathering based on who she sees first on the night of the full moon? Is that why every cat is waiting by the entrance to her den?"

Dustpaw shook his head in amusement. It was true- a lot of cats were waiting at the center of the clearing for Bluestar to make the announcement. "Not usually."

"They're very eager," Yellowfang commented.

"They should be!" Dustpaw pointed out with a flick of his tail. "This Gathering could be the most important one the Clans have seen in seasons. WindClan is gone and only StarClan knows what ShadowClan is up to."

Dustpaw noticed Ravenpaw staring at them, his white tipped tail twitching nervously. Yellowfang followed Dustpaw's gaze. "What are you looking at?" she growled, and the skinny black tom slithered behind Sandpaw and Graypaw. "But you're right. This will be an important Gathering." Yellowfang's expression darkened as she shifted her paws.

"Yellowfang," Dustpaw began seriously. "You're of ShadowClan-"

"Was." Yellowfang corrected him instantly. "I hunt alone now."

_You don't hunt at all!_ Dustpaw pushed back his retort and kept going. "So maybe you know what is going on. Why would Brokenstar want WindClan's land?"

"I may not be a member of ShadowClan anymore," Yellowfang meowed. "But I will not betray its secrets."

Dustpaw snorted. "You know, it's rather odd how evasive you've been about how you left your supposed former Clan. If you have truly made the break from ShadowClan, giving ThunderClan some insight might help you."

"I don't need help." Yellowfang glanced at the ground, giving Dustpaw a fleeting impression of a stubborn kit.

"You nearly clawed the ears off a pair of kits," he pointed out. "A lot of cats think you're a danger to them. It wouldn't take a whole lot to turn the Clan against you, and a lot of cats think you're spying for ShadowClan."

"What do you think?" Yellowfang asked, narrowing her eyes.

Their conversation was interrupted by Sandpaw's yowl. "Dustpaw, come over here! Bluestar is going to announce the attendees for the Gathering any time now."

"I'll talk to you later," Dustpaw meowed, flicking his tail in irritation. He had been about to convince her to spill her secrets, but the crowd of cats were pushing all around them now. He'd ask her tomorrow.

But still her question bothered him. _Maybe I trust her, and maybe I don't, but why do_ I _even care?_

* * *

It was dark when a familiar screech hit Dustpaw's ears. _Yellowfang!_ He leaped to his paws and bolted out of the apprentices' den.

Shock flowed through his pelt. Yellowfang was lying on the ground by the Highrock, and Tigerclaw, Darkstripe, and many other cats were hissing insults at her.

He bounded across the camp to Yellowfang's side, and when he got closer his hackles rose as he saw her fur was covered in sand and grit. They must have dragged her halfway across the camp! Dustpaw watched as the cats continued to snarl at Yellowfang, unsure how he'd react if they leaped at her. "What are you doing?!" he yowled, pushing his way to the front.

Darkstripe looked as though he had been about to answer him before Frostfur appeared at his shoulder. "We got back in time," the white she-cat panted. "The kits are safe."

Bluestar, who was standing at the front of the gathered cats, lashed her tail. "Of course they are!" Dustpaw tried to catch Yellowfang's eyes.

"But. . ." Frostfur sounded confused. "You _are_ going to throw Yellowfang out, aren't you?" Dustpaw continued to look at the elderly she-cat, but Yellowfang avoided his gaze.

"Throw her out? We should kill her now!" Darkstripe snarled. Dustpaw looked back and forth between his mentor and Yellowfang as cats began to yowl their support.

"What? Kill Yellowfang?!" Dustpaw felt his fur bristle in horror. "What in the name of StarClan happened at this Gathering?"

"Brokenstar said one of their cats left ShadowClan to live as a rogue!" Darkstripe called out.

"He said she was a danger to kits!" Longtail put in.

"So it must be Yellowfang!" Speckletail finished. Dustpaw fought his rising horror as the cats formed a loose circle around Yellowfang and began to advance toward her, their claws unsheathed. He couldn't defend Yellowfang against so many cats!

"Stop!" Bluestar yowled. She leaped over the crowd of cats to block the way to Yellowfang, and the cats who had been advancing on the elderly she-cat froze. "Did you not hear me before?! You are not to attack this cat!"

Finally, Speckletail dared to speak: "But, Bluestar, she _must_ have been the cat Brokenstar was speaking of . . ."

"And how do we know that?" Bluestar's meow was slow and deliberate. She closed her eyes and flattened her fur; she seemed to be trying to calm herself. "He did not mention her by name. She has done nothing wrong. And as long as Yellowfang is in my Clan, she will not be harmed in any way." She rested her warning gaze on each of the attacking cats. Dustpaw breathed out in relief.

Yellowfang's mew broke through the silence. "I can leave, Bluestar. This Clan has done enough for me." Dustpaw bolted upright, ready to protest. It didn't make sense for her to leave; there was no proof of her doing anything.

"No," Bluestar meowed. "You have done nothing wrong. We cannot allow the ramblings of a treacherous ShadowClan leader to make decisions for ThunderClan." Murmurs of agreement rippled through the camp. "Now," she meowed as she leaped back up onto the Highrock, "we must discuss the real threat to our Clan: Brokenstar. We have already been preparing for an attack by ShadowClan by reinforcing the camp. In addition to those preparations, we will patrol our borders more frequently. ShadowClan has driven out WindClan, and has intimidated RiverClan into giving up its own prey." Her eyes gained a steely glint. "ThunderClan will not give in so easily." Defiant yowls began to spread through the camp. Dustpaw's attention was entirely on Yellowfang; the old she-cat was staring straight ahead.

Sandpaw's voice cried above the rest. "If ShadowClan wants our territory, they'll have to fight us for it first!" The cats of ThunderClan caterwauled as one in response to her cry.

"I will travel to the Moonstone tomorrow," Bluestar meowed once the caterwauls died down. "StarClan will give me the strength I need to lead ThunderClan through this dark time. Lionheart, I wish to speak with you." She leaped down from the Highrock and beckoned the golden tabby deputy to join her.

Dustpaw was still shocked silent as the cats began to return to their dens. Soon he was left alone with Yellowfang at the center of the clearing. He turned to her, trying to decide what to say. "Did they aggravate your injury?" he finally meowed.

Yellowfang narrowed her eyes. "How touching that you care," she drawled.

"I don't," Dustpaw meowed hastily. "I just wanted to know if I was going to have to carry you back to your den, that's all."

"I'll be fine, _Voleleg_." Yellowfang gave him an unreadable look, and then rose to her paws. She turned her head back to Dustpaw as she began to limp back to the fallen oak. "Just get me some poppy seeds so I can sleep tonight."

* * *

When Dustpaw showed up with a leaf wrap filled with poppy seeds, Yellowfang seemed unusually subdued. "Brokenstar kept his promise," she meowed, looking down at the tiny seeds.

Dustpaw scowled. "What promise?"

"To drive me from every Clan territory." She let out a wordless hiss.

Shaking his head, Dustpaw felt his tail thrash. "Well, you don't need to worry about getting exiled from ThunderClan. Bluestar clearly won't let that happen even if half the Clan hates you." He blinked, wondering which half he'd sort himself into.

"It's only a matter of time," Yellowfang growled, examining her paws. She was silent for a few heartbeats. "I can't ask Bluestar to keep sheltering me if it will cause ThunderClan to be attacked. Brokenstar will stop at nothing to get what he wants."

Dustpaw shook his head again. "Bluestar chose to stand up to Brokenstar. Besides, you have to stay; how will you survive without the cat who can provide you with the best prey selection?" he pointed out wryly. "I very well can't leave ThunderClan just to make sure you won't starve."

"Bah!" Yellowfang snorted. She bent to lick up her poppy seeds. "I can hunt." As the poppy seeds took effect, she lowered her head to her paws. "But I'm too old to run anymore."

* * *

Later that night when he returned to the apprentices' den, Sandpaw was still talking about Yellowfang's supposed attack on the kits. "Good thing there were other cats around or those kits would have been in trouble," she muttered.

Dustpaw grunted in response. His mind was whirling with all he'd been told about the Gathering.

"What's the matter with you?" Sandpaw lashed her tail and glared at him. "She could have hurt those kits and you don't even care."

"No!" Dustpaw burst out. "I don't think..." He paused to gain control of his mew. "I highly doubt Yellowfang is dangerous."

"What?!" Sandpaw tilted her head incredulously. "Didn't you see what she did? The kits were terrified!"

Dustpaw snorted. "The kits should have watched where they were going."

Grumbling, Sandpaw turned around so she faced away from Dustpaw. He snorted irritably. As unfavorable as Yellowfang looked to the Clan, in the back of his mind he knew she wasn't a murderer.

* * *

The next morning Dustpaw woke up to find Graypaw and Ravenpaw gone. "Didn't you hear?" Sandpaw meowed when he asked. "Bluestar and Tigerclaw took them along to the Moonstone." Dustpaw felt a prickle of envy. Traveling to Highstones was a huge honor.

He spent the next day patrolling and hunting, and much of the next as well. It was late in the evening on the second day, and Bluestar and the rest of the patrol should have been back by now. Cats were starting to worry.

Dustpaw was just about to leave the camp to go hunting when Lionheart raised his head to the sky. "ThunderClan! Enemies! Attack!"

Even as Lionheart yowled his battle cry, ShadowClan warriors streamed into the camp.

* * *

"Fall back! Defend the elders and kits!"

The battle raged for what seemed like moons. Dustpaw was slashing at a small black tom when a familiar smell hit the roof of his mouth. Ravenpaw and Graypaw were back, and not far behind them, Bluestar and Tigerclaw.

Dustpaw was only vaguely aware of his actions as the fighting went on, jabbing and slashing out of pure instinct.

Ravenpaw's high pitched shriek split the air. "The kits! The kits are in danger!"

Dustpaw whipped around and began to shove his way through the throng of fighting cats. A large white tom with black paws was racing away from the battle, and Dustpaw noticed Rosetail lying dead. His heart dropped, although he didn't pause in his attempts to reach the nursery. Rosetail had been guarding the kits and with her dead... Dustpaw shoved his way past Rosetail and into the nursery.

He nearly stumbled in surprise. "Yellowfang?" Yellowfang was crouching protectively over the kits. One of her eyes was nearly swollen shut, and blood smeared her tangled gray fur.

"It's okay!" she yowled. "I'll protect them!" Dustpaw stared at her in shock. She had already fought off one of her former Clanmates, and was shielding the kits from the battle with her own body. "Do you trust me?" she hissed.

Dustpaw met her defiant gaze, and in that single heartbeat realized his answer. "I do." With one last look, he hurtled out of the nursery and back into the battle. "It's okay!" he yowled back to Ravenpaw. "Yellowfang's protecting them!" He didn't understand why he trusted the old mange pelt, but somehow after all this time, he did.

Before he knew what was happening, ShadowClan cats began to flee. One by one they sped away, some through the gorse tunnel, while others squeezed through the camp's bramble wall. Dustpaw felt a vicious flicker of satisfaction at the fact that the ShadowClan cats would be nursing wounds from thorns as well as claws. Finally, Whitestorm and Speckletail chased the last remaining warriors out of the camp and the clearing fell silent.

He breathed out. Something was wrong.

His heart dropped when he heard a shrill cry from beside the Highrock.

* * *

Lionheart's death cast a pall over ThunderClan's victory. It brought the memories of Redtail's death flowing back to Dustpaw all over again.

When Tigerclaw had been named deputy, Dustpaw had felt hope rise in his chest. Tigerclaw was a powerful and respected warrior; he would give the Clan confidence in this time of need.

Soon Bluestar's voice rang out once again, for another Clan meeting. Now Tigerclaw stood with her as he announced that he would be appointing bodyguards to keep watch over Bluestar at all times. Dustpaw nodded as the dark tabby spoke; it was a good idea- one that might be needed if ShadowClan decided to attack again.

"Thank you, Tigerclaw, for your loyalty." Bluestar now spoke from beside Tigerclaw. "In spite of these precautions, the Clan must understand that I am still here for them. No cat should hesitate to approach me, and I am happy to speak to anyone with or without my bodyguards. As the warrior code says, the safety of the Clan is more important than the security of any single member." She glanced at Tigerclaw, and then turned to back to the rest of the crowd. "And now, I wish to recognize one cat."

Dustpaw shared a confused glance with Sandpaw as Bluestar continued. "Yellowfang has lived among us for some time now." Dustpaw's heart leaped. He had not been expecting that! "Our apprentices were tasked with caring for her, and I have seen the changes in them, and how it has affected their development as warriors. I think a few may have even grown to consider her a friend." Bluestar paused and shot a kindly glance at Dustpaw.

The whole Clan followed Bluestar's gaze and was now staring at him. Dustpaw felt the fur on his shoulders begin to rise. "What are you looking at me for?" he meowed defensively.

"Yellowfang has taught our apprentices the importance of caring for our elders," Bluestar continued. "But additionally, she has fought for us. In the battle last night, she sheltered near the fallen oak at first. However, after Rosetail died, she didn't hesitate to take her place, protecting the kits as though they were her Clanmates."

Dustpaw nodded, recalling Yellowfang's bravery. He didn't hear the murmuring rippling through the camp. Could this really be happening? Was Bluestar going to offer Yellowfang a place in ThunderClan? "Yellowfang, you proved your loyalty with your actions last night. If you wish it, we would welcome you as a full member of ThunderClan."

Yellowfang's gaze swept around the clearing, briefly resting on Dustpaw before turning up to the ThunderClan leader. "I am honored, Bluestar, and I accept your offer."

Bluestar nodded. "Good."

Dustpaw fought the urge to cheer. He knew he was in the minority of cats who were happy with Yellowfang's newest position, but he couldn't stop his tail from giving a satisfied flick. He was pleased that Yellowfang was joining ThunderClan, but there was no way in StarClan he was ever going to admit it.

Dustpaw was on his way to the apprentices' den a little while after the Clan meeting when Yellowfang waved him over with her tail.

"I was thinking," Yellowfang meowed, a sly expression working its way across her muzzle, "I'll need something good for breakfast tomorrow in honor of my new Clan membership. You could fetch me some prey."

Instead of leaving, he sat down beside her. "You're a ThunderClan cat now." Dustpaw rested his head on his paws, still dazed by the turn of events. "You can have any apprentice do it, and they'd have to listen since you're an elder."

"Nah. They'd find some gristly old thing. Remember when Sandpaw brought me that shrew and tried to pass it off as a full day's meal?" Yellowfang scowled. "And besides, you need to keep up with your warrior training. As Bluestar pointed out, your hunting skills have improved greatly since I showed up and you haven't given me a single thank you." Her whiskers twitched.

"Oh, please." Dustpaw snorted. "You can't seriously give yourself the credit for that." Sighing, Dustpaw looked away. Yellowfang was giving him an imploring stare, begging him to hunt for her. "You know what? Fine. I give in. I'll catch you something."

Yellowfang sank to her haunches. "That was almost too easy."

Dustpaw rolled his eyes. "Any requests?"

Yellowfang watched him for a long moment. "Hunter's choice." Dustpaw's ears flicked in surprise, while Yellowfang curled her tail around her paws. "Well, I'm going back to sleep," she mewed. "I'll need to be up bright and early tomorrow for my meal."

Stifling a yawn, Dustpaw rose to his paws and stretched. " 'Night, Yellowfang."

Yellowfang gave him a thoughtful look. "Goodnight, Dustpaw."


End file.
